Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate of all gynecologic malignancies. Completeness of cytoreductive surgery is a key prognostic factor for survival. To differentiate clearly between malignant and healthy tissue is essential for achieving complete cytoreduction. Using current approaches, this differentiation is difficult and can lead to incomplete tumour removal. OTL38 is a folate analogue conjugated to a near-infrared fluorescent dye which has high specificity and affinity for folate receptor alpha (FRα) expressed in OC. OTL38 together with a specific imaging system can help the surgeon to visualize diseased tissue. The objective of this work is to know the effectiveness and safety of OTL38 in of OC surgery.

Early assessment of OTL38 identified through the early-awareness and alert-system, “SINTESIS-new technologies”, of AETS-ISCIII. The searched databases were: PubMed, WOS, Tripdatabase, Dynamed, Cochrane Library and ICTRP. Clinical studies using the OTL38 in cytoreductive surgery in OC published until September 2017 were reviewed.

Only one publication, supported by industry, was retrieved. The study assesses the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of OLT38 in 30 healthy people randomized into 4 groups with different doses and a control group. The study also analyses the percentage of cytoreduction in 12 OC patients. Infusion of 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/kg OTL38 doses was associated with mild adverse events which did not require intervention. The 0.2 mg/kg dose was associated to adverse events of moderate severity. In OC patients, 0.0125 mg/kg dose was considered the optimal dose with mild adverse events. OTL38 accumulated in FRα-positive tumours and metastases allowed the surgeon to resect an additional 29 percent of malignant lesions which were not detected using standard inspection and palpation methods.

The OTL38 is an emergent health technology, which could help in cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer. However, the evidence is scarce and it would be necessary to continue further studies.