The glutathione S-transferase M1 genotype in ovarian cancer

Glutathione S-transferase mu-1 (GSTM1) is a polymorphic member of the mu cl ass gene family of the glutathione S-transferases, Individuals who are GSTM 1 null have increased susceptibility to lung and colon cancer. We hypothesi zed that: (a) GSTM1 null individuals might also be at increased risk for de velopment of ovarian cancer; and (b) the GSTM1 genotype would influence res ponse to chemotherapy, One hundred and forty-sis individuals with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer mere genotyped using a three-primer PCR reaction specific for the GSTM1 gene and an internal control glutathione S-transfera se mud (GSTM4). The products were analyzed on agarose gels. Healthy individ uals without a family history of ovarian, breast, or colon cancer served as unmatched controls (n = 80), The results show that age at diagnosis, histo logical type, and stage of ovarian cancer were all independent of GSTM1 gen otype, The frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype in the ovarian cancer cohor t was similar to that in the control population, 51% versus 58%, P > 0.05, Likewise, median survival for individuals with advanced stage ovarian cance r was independent of GSTM1 genotype, We concluded that the GSTM1 null genot ype does not increase ovarian cancer risk. These findings suggest that GSTM 1 does not play a significant role in detoxifying environmental factors tha t influence ovarian carcinogenesis and does not play an important role in t he resistance of ovarian cancer to chemotherapy.