5-fluorouracil sensitivity and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity in advanced gastric cancer.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) catabolism. Several studies have demonstrated the clinical importance of DPD in cancer patients, suggesting that the efficacy of 5-FU may be related to DPD activity in tumor tissue. In the present study, DPD activity and chemosensitivity to 5-FU were evaluated in advanced gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four gastric cancers from 32 patients were studied and chemosensitivity to 5-FU was evaluated by histoculture drug response assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: DPD activity and tumor inhibition of 5-FU among all cases showed no significant correlation, but among 14 histologically differentiated cases significant correlation was observed. DPD activity may be useful in determining the 5-FU sensitivity of differentiated gastric cancer.