Immunotherapy of ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death due to gynaecological malignancy. Although patients with advanced ovarian cancer have a good response to surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, long-term survival remains poor. Immunotherapy techniques currently under investigation for treatment of recurrence include antitumour monoclonal and bispecific antibodies. Antibodies to ovarian cancer antigens have also been combined with radioisotopes, immunotoxins and chemotherapeutic drug conjugates to provide improved targeting of these agents. Anti-idiotypic antibodies and vaccines have also been developed to initiate humoral and cellular immune responses against ovarian cancer. Cytokines have been administered alone as well as in combination with other immunotherapy agents in patients with ovarian cancer. Finally, antigen-presenting cells are being modified by a variety of methods to stimulate an antitumour immune response. This review summarises the latest published clinical data and highlights promising areas of research in this exciting field.