Targeted therapies in epithelial ovarian cancer: Molecular mechanisms of action

Figure 1 Overall 5-year survival by year. Therapy by alkylating agents (e.g. melphalan) was the standard of care for epithelial ovarian cancer until the 1970s. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the therapeutic agent cisplatin in 1978 and paclitaxel at the end of 1992, as indicated in the figure. Overall 5-year survival of epithelial ovarian cancer was increased after introduction of these agents.