Update in cancer chemotherapy: genitourinary tract cancer, Part 5: Ovarian cancer.

An update of the state of the art of cancer chemotherapeutic treatment of genitourinary tract cancer is described in this multi-part series: included are cancers of the kidney, bladder, prostate, testicle, ovary, uterus, vulva, and gestational trophoblastic neoplasms. Part 5 is a review of treatments for cancer of the ovary.Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths and the fourth most frequent cause of death from cancer in women in the United States. Ovarian carcinoma is a classical "hidden" neoplasm of the abdomen and, as such, is insidious in its onset. Combination chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery, however, have provided improved survival for patients with ovarian cancer. As dosage schedules and other refinements are made, the overall outlook for patients with ovarian cancer is promising.