CAMK2N1/RUNX3 methylation is an independent prognostic biomarker for progression-free and overall survival of platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer patients

Background: To date, no predictive or prognostic molecular biomarkers except BRCA mutations are clinically established for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) despite being the deadliest gynecological malignancy. Aim of this biomarker study was the analysis of DNA methylation biomarkers for their prognostic value independent from clinical variables in a heterogeneous cohort of 203 EOC patients from two university medical centers.

Results: The marker combination CAMK2N1/RUNX3 exhibited a significant prognostic value for progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of sporadic platinum-sensitive EOC ( n  = 188) both in univariate Kaplan–Meier (LogRank p  < 0.05) and multivariate Cox regression analysis ( p  < 0.05; hazard ratio HR = 1.587). KRT86 methylation showed a prognostic value only in univariate analysis because of an association with FIGO staging (Fisher’s exact test p  < 0.01). Thus, it may represent a marker for EOC staging. Dichotomous prognostic values were observed for KATNAL2 methylation depending on BRCA aberrations. KATNAL2 methylation exhibited a negative prognostic value for PFS in sporadic EOC patients without BRCA1 methylation (HR 1.591, p  = 0.012) but positive prognostic value in sporadic EOC with BRCA1 methylation (HR 0.332, p  = 0.04) or BRCA -mutated EOC (HR 0.620, n.s.).

Conclusion: The retrospective analysis of 188 sporadic platinum-sensitive EOC proved an independent prognostic value of the methylation marker combination CAMK2N1/RUNX3 for PFS and OS. If validated prospectively this combination may identify EOC patients with worse prognosis after standard therapy potentially benefiting from intensive follow-up, maintenance therapies or inclusion in therapeutic studies. The dichotomous prognostic value of KATNAL2 should be validated in larger sample sets of EOC.