Glutathione-s-transferase-pi expression in early breast cancer: association with outcome and response to chemotherapy.

Glutathione-S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) is a detoxification enzyme expressed in breast cancer; however its involvement in chemotherapy sensitivity and prognosis is not well understood. We evaluated the expression of GSTpi and its predictive role of chemotherapy response. Breast tumor samples from 166 patients at stage I/II of the disease were immunostained for GST-pi, and the expression was 96 %. There was a trend toward improved disease-free survival with high GST-pi expression (p =.09). There was a statistically non-significant association between high GST-pi expression and improved outcome with adjuvant chemotherapy (p =.055). Further studies should evaluate the role of GST-pi expression in relation to response to different chemotherapies.

Duke Scholars

Author Arif H Kamal Medicine, Medical Oncology