Resistance in Lung Cancer Linked to Smoking and Protein Expression
Author Information
Author(s): M. Volm, J. Mattern, B. Samsel
Primary Institution: German Cancer Research Center, Institute of Experimental Pathology
Hypothesis
Is there a relationship between smoking habits, drug resistance, and the expression of P-glycoprotein and glutathione S-transferase in non-small cell lung carcinomas?
Conclusion
Smokers with non-small cell lung carcinomas show higher resistance to chemotherapy and greater expression of certain proteins compared to non-smokers.
Supporting Evidence
- 79% of tumors from smokers were resistant to chemotherapy compared to 50% from non-smokers.
- 58% of tumors from smokers expressed P-glycoprotein, while only 9% from non-smokers did.
- 69% of tumors from smokers showed expression of glutathione S-transferase, compared to 41% from non-smokers.
Takeaway
This study found that lung cancer in smokers is often harder to treat because their tumors have special proteins that make them resistant to medicine.
Methodology
The study analyzed tumor samples from 94 patients using immunohistochemistry to detect protein expression and assessed drug resistance through in vitro tests.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in patient selection and the interpretation of immunohistochemical results.
Limitations
The study may not account for all factors influencing drug resistance and the sample size is limited to one type of cancer.
Participant Demographics
The study included 94 patients, predominantly male (81 men, 13 women), with a range of ages from under 40 to over 70.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.007
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
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