[Correlation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase to radiation sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) to radiation sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Eighty randomly selected NPC patients were divided into high (+/++, n=62) and low (-/+/+, n=18) MGMT groups according to the results of MGMT detection using immunohistochemistry. All the patients received irradiation with external beam radiotherapy, and the radiation sensitivity of NPC was analyzed after the irradiation. RESULTS: The rates of high and low radiation sensitivity were 83.3% and 16.7% in low MGMT group, respectively, showing significant differences from those of the high MGMT group (45.2% and 54.8%, respectively, chi(2)=4.393, P=0.036). CONCLUSION: The content of MGMT correlates to the radiation sensitivity of NPC and may serve as valuable indicators for predicting the radiation sensitivity of NPC.