Reviewer: Ioana L Bondre, MD, MPH (University of California San Diego School of Medicine)
Description: This book provides a comprehensive, yet focused review of ovarian cancer epidemiology, biology, diagnosis, and treatment based on stage and recurrence. In addition, it offers a review of chemotherapy and targeted molecular therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Valuable tools in this book include bolding and italicizing of important text, and clear, clinically relevant figures (i.e., survival curves, treatment algorithms, and chemotherapy regimens). This second edition book is an update to the first edition, which was published in 2014.
Purpose: This book provides a high-yield, foundational introduction to several basic topics, such as epidemiology, ovarian cancer biomarkers, hereditary ovarian cancer, and pathology (including colored pictures of pathologic slides for each histology). The book then logically progresses to chapters on up-to-date clinical management of early stage, advanced stage, and recurrent disease. The chapters provide reviews of both surgical management and chemotherapy. The book includes dedicated chapters on the basics of chemotherapy and targeted therapy, which cover mechanisms of action, routes of administration, treatment schedules, and adverse events. It also provides a review of topics less commonly covered in textbooks, including ovarian cancer in the pediatric population and quality of life in women with ovarian cancer. This book is a valuable contribution to the field of ovarian cancer and meets its educational objectives.
Audience: This book is suitable for gynecologic oncology and medical oncology fellows and attendings, OB-GYN residents interested in gynecologic oncology, and providers caring for women with ovarian cancer. It serves its intended audience well, owing to the focus on the most recent evidence. The author Dr. Farghaly is an internationally known authority in the field of gynecologic oncology. He is a physician/scientist, and faculty member of the Medical College of Cornell University and the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell University Medical Center. Other noteworthy contributors include Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, known for his developments in surgical oncology such as cytoreductive surgery followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
Features: The book covers the basics of ovarian cancer as a logical reference point for the updates provided later in the chapters. The new chapters on ovarian cancer biomarkers and ovarian cancer pathology are welcome additions. The organization of the text into chapters and headings makes navigating to the topic of interest quick and efficient. It also makes the book a helpful reference for clinicians in a hurry, while remaining appropriate for learners given the background sections. The authors masterfully distill the large amount of evidence accumulated in the past decade in a way that is easy to read and applicable to clinical practice. The writing style is concise, and each section contains relevant information. Each chapter provides an extensive reference list, useful for readers interested in a deeper exploration of the topic. One highlight in the clinical management chapters is the tabulation of seminal studies and their results for each histology of ovarian cancer. A similar table in the targeted molecular therapy chapters tabulates all the phase III trials of bevacizumab in ovarian cancer. These tables are excellent resources for clinicians and can be used both in clinical decision making and in patient counseling. The decision-making algorithm diagrams are another feature with high clinical value for practitioners.
Assessment: This book is a useful text for all medical providers caring for women with ovarian cancer, either through surgery, chemotherapy, or palliative care. The content focuses on up-to-date evidence in a rapidly evolving field. The chapters are easier to read and more clinically applicable than Handbook for Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology, 3rd Edition, Levine et al. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2020). However, the book includes less detail on clinical trials compared to Synopsis of Key Gynecologic Oncology Trials, 2nd Edition, Renz et al. (CRC Press, 2022). The book also contains limited information on technical aspects of surgery in ovarian cancer. For those interested in more detailed surgical education and management of surgical complications, the next level text would be Principles of Gynecologic Surgery, Ramirez et al. (Elsevier, 2018). The updated evidence in this book, in addition to its review of basic topics, makes the second edition worth purchasing.
