Glutathione-S transferase-pi expression in non small cell lung cancer in the assessment of response to chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relation of glutathione-S transferase-pi (GST-pi) expression and cisplatin resistance in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
This study was carried out on 61 patients who were admitted to Chest Diseases Clinic, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey, from 1997 to 1999. Twenty-seven NSCLC patients out of 61 lung cancer cases whose biopsy specimens were evaluated for GST-pi, received multiagent chemotherapy including cisplatin. The correlations between GST-pi expression and age, sex, performance score, histology, stage of the disease and response to chemotherapy were investigated.


RESULTS
There was a significant correlation between GST-pi expression and the histological type of the disease (p<0.05). However, no significant relation was found with age, sex, performance score or stage of the disease (p>0.05). Glutathione-S transferase-pi staining characteristics of the 27 patients receiving chemotherapy were: less than 10% in 3 patients (11.1%), 10-50% in 9 patients (33.3%) and more than 50% in 15 patients (55.5%). One of the 3 patients (33.3%) with GST-pi staining percentage of less than 10%, 3 of 9 patients (33.3%) with staining percentage of 10-50% and 4 out of 15 patients (26.6%) with staining percentage of more than 50% had an objective response to chemotherapy. No significant correlation was found between GST-pi expression and response to chemotherapy in the 3 groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Glutathione-S transferase-pi expression might not always predict the response to combination chemotherapy regimens containing cisplatin. Several other mechanisms may play a role in cisplatin-resistance.
Unsal
Meftun
M
Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey. meftununsal@hotmail.com
Akpolat
Ilkser
I
Kandemir
Bedri
B
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male
D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D002945:Cisplatin