Folate Receptor Alpha-A Secret Weapon in Ovarian Cancer Treatment?

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2024 Nov 27

PMID 39595996

Authors

Karol Bukowski

Aneta Rogalska

Agnieszka Marczak

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. Due to its nonspecific symptoms and unreliable screening tools, EOC is not diagnosed at an early stage in most cases. Unfortunately, despite achieving initial remission after debulking surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, most patients experience the recurrence of the disease. The limited therapy approaches have encouraged scientists to search for new detection and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss the role of folate receptor alpha (FRα) in EOC development and its potential application as a biomarker and molecular target in designing new EOC screening and treatment methods. We summarize the mechanisms of the action of various therapeutic strategies based on FRα, including MABs (monoclonal antibodies), ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates), FDCs (folate-drug conjugates), SMDCs (small molecule-drug conjugates), vaccines, and CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T) cells, and present the most significant clinical trials of some FRα-based drugs. Furthermore, we discuss the pros and cons of different FR-based therapies, highlighting mirvetuximab soravtansine (MIRV) as the currently most promising EOC-targeting drug.

Citing Articles

Folate receptor alpha for cancer therapy: an antibody and antibody-drug conjugate target coming of age.

Liu Y, Chen X, Evan T, Esapa B, Chenoweth A, Cheung A MAbs. 2025; 17(1):2470309.

PMID: 40045156 PMC: 11901361. DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2025.2470309.

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