Electrochemical Detection of Carboplatin-Resistance in Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has the highest mortality rate among gynecological cancers and affects patients on all continents. Primary treatments involve surgery and the administration of chemotherapeutics, such as carboplatin, which is listed by the World Health Organization as an essential medication for the treatment of human cancers. Unfortunately, due to high rates of drug resistance of EOC towards carboplatin, cancer relapse rates are devastating, and the mechanisms of chemoresistance to carboplatin have not been adequately identified. Consequently, there is a dire need for innovative strategies that are able to detect carboplatin resistance in cancer and to further our understanding of the fundamental nature of chemoresistance towards carboplatin. The presented work describes the thorough electrochemical characterization of carboplatin. The uptake of carboplatin by ovarian cancer cells was quantified by electrochemistry to better understand mechanisms of carboplatin chemoresistance. Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy studies demonstrate a differential behavior between drug-susceptible and drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells, in response to carboplatin exposure. Results emerging from this research might be important for future medical research, developing diagnostic and treatment strategies to combat chemoresistance.