TOP2A gene copy gain predicts response of epithelial ovarian cancers to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin ★: TOP2A as marker of response to PLD in ovarian cancer

•Gain of TOP2A gene copies was found in 58% of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC)•EOC patients with TOP2A copy gain showed increased PFS when treated with PLD•PLD induced durable shrinkage of EOC PDXs over-expressing TOP2A

ObjectiveThe treatment of platinum resistant/refractory epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a challenge for oncologists. One of the most utilized drugs in these patients is pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). As PLD is active only in a small subset of patients and causes side effects, selection of responsive patients is an unmet need and might be guided by the status of the DNA topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) that is poisoned by the drug.MethodsFrom 176 ovarian cancers treated in three institutions, we selected 38 patients treated with PLD monotherapy as second/third line of treatment. TOP2A gene copies were measured using Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and expression evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Patients' derived xenografts (PDXs) of ovarian cancers were used to assess the correlation between TOP2A protein expression and response to PLD.ResultsClinical data showed that TOP2A gene gain that is paralleled by increased expression of the protein, was associated with a higher probability of clinical benefit from PLD. Treatment of PDXs demonstrated that only xenografts showing a high percentage of TOP2A expressing cells underwent tumor shrinkage when treated with PLD.ConclusionsThese data show that TOP2A gene gain and protein over-expression might predict activity of PLD in platinum resistant/refractory EOC.