Beyond chemotherapy: proapoptotic and antiangiogenic drug effects in preclinical ovarian cancer models

PhD ceremony: Mr. A.R.M. van der Bilt, 14.30 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Beyond chemotherapy: proapoptotic and antiangiogenic drug effects in preclinical ovarian cancer models

Promotor(s): prof. E.G.E. de Vries, prof. A.G.J. van der Zee, prof. S. de Jong

Faculty: Medical Sciences

Standard therapy for ovarian cancer, consisting of platinum-based chemotherapy and surgical debulking, has been unchanged since its introduction over a decade ago. Other chemotherapeutic regimens did not improve the poor prognosis of advanced ovarian cancer patients. Alternative therapeutic strategies are therefore being pursued, by applying molecular targeted drugs. These drugs interfere with key biological processes relevant to ovarian cancer biology, amongst which are the potential of these cancers to evade programmed cell death (apoptosis) and to create a vascular supply (angiogenesis). In this thesis the effects of proapoptotic and anti-angiogenic targeted drugs was investigated in preclinical ovarian cancer models.