Expression of Glutathione-S-Transferase and P-glycoprotein in Human Cervical Cancer

Byun, T S; Bae, S N; Kim, Y W; Chang, B W; Kim, D K; Kim, S P

Abstract

Expression of glutathione-S-transferase-pai and multidrug resistance gene was examined immunohistochemically in relation to the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide in 23 patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix (Stage I B2 and IIA). Glutathione- S-transferase-pai was detected in 19 patients (82.6%). Eleven patients (47.8%) showed positive staining for both proteins. After radical hysterectomy, 11 patients showed pathological response from no residual malignancy to microinvasive cancer. Six of 12 (50.0%) tumors showing positive glutathione-S-transferase-pai staining were drug resistant (no change or progressive disease), whereas six of 11 (54.5%) tumors showing negative gutathione-S-transferase-pai staining were drug resistant. This difference in the response rates of the two groups was not significant (p > 0.05). Ten of 19 (52.6%) tumors showing positive multidrug resistance staining were diug resistant (no change or progressive disease), whereas 2 of 4 (50.0%) tumors showing negative multidrug resistance staining were drug resistant. This difference in the response rates of the two groups was not significant (p > 0.05). Five of 11 (45.5%) tumors showing positive staining for both gene were drug resistant, Whereas two of 4 (50%) showing negative staining for both gene were drug resistant. This difference in the response rates of the two groups was not significant (p > 0.05). These data suggest that glutathione S-transferase-pai and multidrug resistance gene were not useful predictive markers of drug resistance composed of cisplatin and etoposide in squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix.