Ovarian Cancer Resource
Ovarian Cancer: Trials,
Treatment, Specialists
Track ovarian cancer clinical trials in real time. Find cancer centers with gynecologic oncology programs. Follow the research that's changing outcomes.
What You Need to Know
Evidence-based ovarian cancer information. Sourced from ACS, NCI, and published research.
Understanding Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer starts in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum. Three main subtypes: epithelial (90% of cases), germ cell, and stromal. Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common and most closely linked to talc exposure in published research.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Often called the "silent cancer" because early symptoms mimic everyday conditions. Bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating, and urinary urgency are the most common. Diagnosis involves pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound, CA-125 blood test, and surgical biopsy for staging.
Treatment Options
Standard treatment combines debulking surgery with platinum-based chemotherapy. PARP inhibitors (olaparib, niraparib, rucaparib) changed the landscape for BRCA-mutated and HRD-positive patients. Immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates are in active trials.
Clinical Trials
Trials are testing PARP inhibitor combinations, immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates, and novel targeted therapies. Hundreds of trials recruiting now.
Treatment Landscape
Current and emerging ovarian cancer treatments being tested in clinical trials.
Surgery
Debulking/cytoreductive surgery aims to remove all visible tumor. Includes hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy. Optimal debulking improves survival.
Chemotherapy
Carboplatin + paclitaxel is the standard first-line regimen. Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy delivers drugs directly to the abdomen. HIPEC is under investigation after surgery.
PARP Inhibitors
Olaparib, niraparib, and rucaparib block DNA repair in tumor cells. Most effective in BRCA1/2-mutated and homologous recombination deficient (HRD) cancers. Now used as maintenance therapy.
Targeted Therapy
Bevacizumab (anti-VEGF) approved as first-line with chemo. Mirvetuximab soravtansine targets folate receptor alpha. Multiple ADCs in clinical trials.
Immunotherapy
Checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) in combination trials. Most promising for MSI-high or dMMR tumors. Several phase 2/3 combination studies recruiting.
Hormone Therapy
Letrozole and tamoxifen used for low-grade serous and stromal tumors. Less toxic than chemo, suitable for maintenance in select patients.
Ovarian Cancer Treatment Centers
NCI-designated cancer centers with dedicated gynecologic oncology programs and clinical trial access.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
Penn Medicine / Abramson Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, FL
The Talc Connection
Decades of research have examined the link between genital talcum powder use and ovarian cancer. Multiple epidemiological studies, including a 2018 meta-analysis in Epidemiology, found a modest but consistent increased risk among long-term users.
Johnson & Johnson faced over 40,000 lawsuits alleging their talc-based Baby Powder contributed to ovarian cancer diagnoses. In 2025, J&J proposed an $8 billion settlement to resolve these claims. The litigation brought mainstream attention to research that had been published for decades.
TalcTrials tracks the clinical trial landscape for both ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, the two cancers most closely associated with talc and asbestos exposure.