This　study　aims　to　investigate　the　expression　of　P-glycoprotein　(PGP),　glutathione　S-transferase　π　(GST-π),　DNA　topoisomerase　II　(Topo-II)　and　lung　resistance-related　protein　(LRP)　in　ovarian　carcinoma,　thus　providing　better　chemotherapy　choice　and　post-operative　prognosis　for　ovarian　carcinoma　patients.　A　total　of　80　primary　ovarian　carcinoma,　16　benign　ovarian　epithelial　neoplasm,　and　12　normal　ovarian　tissue　samples　were　collected.　Immunohistochemistry　was　used　to　detect　the　expression　of　PGP,　GST-π,　Topo-II　and　LRP,　and　the　results　were　analysed　by　correlation　with　clinicopathological　parameters.　Positive　expression　rates　of　PGP,　GST-π,　Topo-II　and　LRP　in　patients　with　ovarian　carcinoma　(57.5%,　58.8%,　76.3%　and　73.8%,　respectively)　were　all　higher　than　those　found　in　normal　and　benign　tissue　(P＜0.05).　In　clinical　stages　I/II　vs.　III/IV,　the　expression　rates　of　PGP,　GST-π,　Topo-II　and　LRP　were　40.7%　vs.　66%　(P＜0.05),　40.7%　vs.　67.9%　(P＜0.05),　66.7%　vs.　81.1%　(P＞0.05)　and　55.6%　vs.　83.0%　(P＜0.05),　respectively.　Carcinoma　differentiation　ranged　from　well　to　poor,　and　expression　levels　of　each　marker　were　as　follows:　PGP,　57.9%,　62.1%　and　53.1%　(P＞0.05);　GST-π,　36.8%,　55.2%　and　75.0%　(P＜0.05);　Topo-II,　52.6%,　79.3%　and　87.5%　(P＜0.05);　and　LRP,　84.2%,　69.0%　and　71.9%　(P＞0.05).　Ovarian　carcinoma　patients　with　PGP-,　GST-π-,　Topo-II-　and　LRP-positive　expression　had　a　shorter　median　survival　time　than　those　who　were　negative　for　these　markers　(PGP:　36　months　vs.　48　months　[P=0.0017];　GST-π:　36　months　vs.　41　months　[P=0.0103];　Topo-II:　37　months　vs.　39　months　[P=0.3811];　LRP:　37　months　vs.　55　months　[P=0.002]).　COX　regression　analysis　demonstrated　that　the　clinical　stage　of　the　tumour,　and　the　expression　of　PGP,　GST-π　or　LRP,　may　influence　patient　survival　time　after　surgery.　The　relative　death　risk　for　patients　with　clinical　stage　III/IV　tumours　increased　9.46-fold　compared　to　those　with　stage　I/II　tumours.　The　relative　death　risk　in　the　PGP-,　GST-π-　and　LRP-positive　groups　increased　by　2.049-,　2.452-　or　2.609-fold,　respectively,　compared　with　the　corresponding　negative　groups.　PGP,　GST-π,　Topo-II　and　LRP　are　all　expressed　in　primary　ovarian　carcinoma,　indicating　the　presence　of　multidrug　resistance　in　this　disease.　Combined　evaluation　of　PGP,　GST-π,　Topo-II　and　LRP　expression　may　enable　better　chemotherapeutic　choice　and　provide　an　accurate　prognosis　for　ovarian　carcinoma　patients.　Copyright　©2011　Institute　of　Biomedical　Science.