Immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of ovarian cancer: current status and future direction

Ovarian cancer is the most significant cause of gynecological cancer mortality, with the majority of women with advanced disease. Although surgery and chemotherapy can enhance survival rates, the 5-year survival rates remain low at 45%. So, alternative treatment options need to be implemented to improve therapeutic outcomes. In the ovarian cancer tumor, the presence of T cells helps to improve the progression-free and overall survival, whereas a poor prognosis corresponds to the presence of regulatory T cells and expression of T cells inhibitory molecules. Analyzing the important role of these immune systems in cancer management, immunotherapy may create a sustained response to recurring ovarian cancer cells in the immune system. In addition, by boosting anti-tumor immune response, women’s prognosis with this lethal disease can be significantly influenced. Different immunotherapeutic strategies and nanoparticle-based strategies were used as potential treatment options to challenge tumor progression. This review discusses cytokine therapy, peptide vaccine, monoclonal antibody, dendritic cell-based vaccine, adoptive T cells transfer, and immune checkpoint inhibitors as well as different nanoparticles such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles, polyethyleneimine-based nanoparticles, and liposomes that offer a new paradigm in the treatment of ovarian cancer.