Resistance to cis- and carboplatin initiated by epigenetic changes in ovarian cancer patients

Initially, most ovarian tumors respond to the treatment with platinum components, but frequently recurrence occurs within the following two years in advanced ovarian cancer patients. In this regard, previous studies have shown changes in the epigenetic patterns in ovarian cancer that are linked with resistance to cis- and carboplatin therapy. Thus, epigenetic changes mediated by a treatment with cis- or carboplatin could identify such patients who do or do not respond to this therapy. Therefore, an understanding of the impact of platinum on epigenetics in ovarian cancer is important in overcoming platinum resistance. In this review, we delineate epigenetic abnormalities in cis- and carboplatin-resistant ovarian tumors, such as changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications and deregulation of microRNAs, and discuss the potential of epigenetic therapies in combination with platinum.