The Prognostic Relevance of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Expression in Ovarian Cancer Tissue of Wild Type and BRCA-Mutation Carrier Patients

Background: The mechanism of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer is not fully clarified, but the properly functioning DNA repair mechanism can counteract the effect of conventional anticancer treatment. The objective of our study was to evaluate the expression of an important DNA repair enzyme, the Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) expression in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues depending on BRCA status and to assess its relationship with platinum resistance. (2) Methods: Immunostaining to highlight PARP protein expression was performed using a rabbit polyclonal anti-PARP antibody. The intensity and distribution of immunostaining were assessed by light. Somatic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers were identified with bidirectional sequencing of DNA from archived tumor tissue, if the test could not be performed due to technical reasons from tumor cells, the sequencing was done from peripheral blood cells to identify germline mutation carriers. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was generated for each semiquantitative group of PARP expression among chemotherapy-naive cases at the time of PARP immunohistochemistry. (3) Results: In the overall population, negative PARP immunohistochemistry predicted significant PFS (20.1 vs. 11.9 months, p = 0.001) and OS (49 vs. 114 months, p = 0.014) benefit. Genotype-stratified subgroup analysis in BRCA-negative cases confirmed the role of PARP positivity indicating an unfavorable prognosis in the entire population (relapsed 73.91% vs. 92%; OR: 4.06; p = 0.04). In the cases of the subgroup carrying the BRCA mutation, the presence of PARP expression was not associated with less favorable relapse rates, but with marginal significance for overall survival predicted a lower chance of survival (OS more than 32 months 72.73% vs. 35%; OR: 0.2; p = 0.05). (4) Conclusion: The BRCA wild type patients with strong expression of PARP enzymes before the first set of chemotherapy have a poor prognosis.