[Correlation between an enzyme (glutathione S-transferase-pi) and effects of chemotherapy (cisplatin + etoposide)].

OBJECTIVES: We studied the correlation between cisplatin and etoposide chemotherapy and GST-pi staining in patients with untreated primary non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: Of patients diagnosed as having primary lung cancer, 27 patients (26 men, 1 woman; median age 74.9 years) with stage III b or over were studied. Histological types included squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. A course of treatment consisted of cisplatin 100 mg/m2/day x one day and etoposide 100 mg/m2/day x 3 days during 28 days. After 2 courses of treatment, the therapeutic effects were judged and examined in relation to immunostaining levels obtained with anti-GST-pi antibody. RESULTS: Of patients with PR (14), 11 showed GST-pi (-) staining. CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between GST-pi staining and the effects of cisplatin and etoposide chemotherapy.