Dr. Maurie Markman on the Further Study of PD-1 Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer

Maurie Markman, MD, president of Medicine and Science, Eastern Regional Medical Center, discusses the use of PD-1 inhibitors in ovarian cancer and the lack of evidence pointing toward their functionality. Markman says that the absence of an answer is not due to non-diligence by the research community at large, but rather the inability to find a clear answer for a functioning PD-1 inhibitor.

Markman adds that in order to find the key to PD-1 inhibitors, the research community must first find patients that respond to the treatment, and then further study their progress.

“There is clearly evidence of activity with these drugs. Objective response rates around 10% to 15% and as we’ve learned in other tumor types and would certainly be relevant in ovarian cancer,” he said, adding that the goal of PD-1 inhibitors isn’t necessarily tumor shrinkage, but also to stop spreading.