Background & objective: Abnormal expression and activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is closely related to the recurrence and poor prognosis of ovarian cancer, can promote chemotherapy resistance of tumor cells. Lung resistance protein (LRP), a multidrug resistance protein causing platinum-resistance, is an independent factor in predicting chemotherapy sensitivity to ovarian cancer. This study was to explore the correlations of EGFR and LRP to chemotherapy resistance and prognosis of ovarian cancer.
Methods: Expressions of EGFR and LRP in 76 specimens of ovarian malignant tumor, nine borderline tumor, 17 benign tumor and 15 normal ovary were studied using immunohistochemistry. Patients with ovarian cancer were followed up. Correlations of EGFR and LRP to chemotherapy efficacy and survival time of patients with ovarian cancer after operation were analyzed.
Results: The positive rates of EGFR and LRP in malignant specimens (73.68% and 71.79%) were significantly higher than those in normal and benign ones (P <0.01). EGFR was highly expressed in ovarian cancer patients at late stage (III-IV), with poor differentiation and ascites (P <0.05). The short-term efficacy rates of ovarian cancer were lower in patients with positive expressions of EGFR and LRP (57.14% and 53.70%) than in those with negative expressions (P<0.05). The positive rates of EGFR and LRP were significant higher in patients with chemotherapy resistance (92.86% and 85.71%) than in those sensitive to chemotherapy (P<0.05). The three-year survival rate of ovarian cancer patients was 53.00%. Patients with positive EGFR and LRP and poor short-term efficacy after chemotherapy had short survival time (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The expression of EGFR and LRP could be used to predict chemotherapy resistance and prognosis of ovarian cancer.