Drug resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer: P-glycoprotein and glutation S-transferase. Can they play an important role in detecting response to platinum-based chemotherapy as a first-line therapy

Objective: Drug resistance is important for the treatment of ovarian cancer. P-glycoprotein and glutation S-transferase as resistance markers play an important role in the effectivity of chemotherapeutical agents. The role of P-glycoprotein and glutation S-transferase in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer is not well understood. We investigated the relation between P-glycoprotein and glutation S-transferase level for response to platinum-based chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Material and methods: We reviewed 30 cases diagnosed as epithelial ovarian cancer and treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine. The material was attained from initial parafin-embeded blocks stained for P-glycoprotein and glutation S-transferase. The cases that were diagnosed and treated before attending our clinic were not enrolled in the study.

Results: Mean age was 58.2 (25-70) and mean gravida 4.1 (0-10). Twenty-four patients (80%) were glutation S-transferase positive. Three cases (10%) out of 30 had positive reaction for P-glycoprotein. No difference was revealed regarding chemotherapy response rate among the cases showing glutation S-transferase positivity and P-glycoprotein negativity.

Conclusion: Detection of glutation S-transferase and P-glycoprotein levels in epithelial ovarian cancer tissue is not important for response to platinum-based chemotherapy as a first line.

Glutation S-transferase; P-glycoprotein; Ovarian Cancer; Drug Resistance

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