Immunohistochemical expression of glutathione transferase-pi in untreated primary non-small-cell lung cancer.
Patients with unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) usually have undergone chemotherapy; however, such problems as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents occur during the treatments. Recent studies have indicated that glutathione S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) may play an important role in the resistance of cancer cells to alkylating agents, including cisplatin compounds. We examined a possible relationship between immunohistochemical expression of GST-pi and the response to cisplatin plus etoposide chemotherapy in patients with untreated and unresectable primary NSCLC. Of the 89 patients, 50 (56.2%) were GST-pi-positive and 39 (43.8%) were GST-pi-negative. For the patients with negative GST-pi expression, the response rate was 66.7% (26 of 39 patients). In the patients with positive GST-pi expression, the response rate was 26% (13 of 50 patients). This difference was statistically significant (P = .0019). The results suggest that GST-pi expression in NSCLC tissues is related to response to cisplatin plus etoposide chemotherapy and may be useful as a predictor of chemotherapy response.
Arai
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Gihoku General Hospital, Gifu, Japan.
Yasuda
Y
Y
Takaya
T
T
Hayakawa
K
K
Toshima
S
S
Shibuya
C
C
Kashiki
Y
Y
Yoshimi
N
N
Shibayama
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D000477:Alkylating Agents; D007527:Isoenzymes; D005047:Etoposide; C496556:GSTP1 protein, human; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D002945:Cisplatin