Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, which is a direct outcome of missing its diagnosis at an early stage. Approximately 75% of ovarian cancer patients are initially diagnosed with disseminated intra-abdominal disease (stages III-IV) when ~30% of patients have a 5-year survival rate. In addition to the challenge of early detection of ovarian cancer, its therapy presents several challenges including the route of therapy, resistance to therapy with recurrence of cancer, and specific targeting of ovarian cancer to reduce cytotoxic side effects.

We reviewed recent literature employing nanotechnology approaches to diagnosis and therapy of ovarian cancer.

Recent innovations in nanotechnology with applications in cancer diagnostics and therapy help circumvent many pre-existing problems with conventional chemotherapy and present new ways of diagnosis and therapy.

Nanotechnology has promising potential in enhancing early detection of ovarian cancer and treatment of recurrent disease.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 21168905 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Source: National Library of Medicine.