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Expression level of thymidylate synthase is a good predictor of chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer.

Inoue T, Hibi K, Nakayama G, Komatsu Y, Fukuoka T, Kodera Y, Ito K, Akiyama S, Nakao A

Gastroenterological Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan.

BACKGROUND: It is important to seek the appropriate chemotherapy drugs to effectively eliminate colorectal cancers. To avoid unnecessary medication and uncomfortable side effects, it is important to estimate the chemosensitivity of cancers to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) before chemotherapy. METHODS: We examined thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) gene expressions in 23 colorectal cancers, using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We then evaluated the relationship between TS and DPD gene expression levels and the sensitivity of colorectal cancers to 5-FU, as determined by histoculture drug response assay (HDRA). RESULTS: A significant increase in the TS expression score was observed in 5-FU-sensitive colorectal cancers (0.57 +/- 0.19) compared to 5-FU-resistant ones (1.16 +/- 0.98; P = 0.029), whereas no significant differences in DPD expression scores were observed in 5-FU-sensitive colorectal cancers (0.86 +/- 1.19) compared to 5-FU-resistant ones (0.56 +/- 1.05; P = 0.603). CONCLUSIONS: TS mRNA may be useful as a predictor of the 5-FU chemosensitivity of colorectal cancers.

Published 16 March 2005 in J Gastroenterol, 40(2): 143-7.
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