P-aminosalicylate metabolism in cancer patients sensitive and resistant to chemotherapy

A reduced response of a tumour to chemotherapy may be due to the host's drug metabolism. To test this hypothesis, we measured the metabolism of a model drug, para-aminosalicylate (PAS). Volunteers and cancer patients ingested a single oral dose (2 g) of PAS and we measured the plasma disappearance curve of the drug and its metabolite. In 7 patients suffering from lymphosarcoma, acute or chronic leukaemia and resistant to cancer chemotherapy, we observed low plasma PAS concentrations, an increase in PAS acetylation and an increased number (and a higher frequency) of abnormal liver-function tests. In 14 patients with malignant blood disease, yet responding well to chemotherapy, the metabolism of PAS is similar to that of healthy controls of the same age and sex. The plasma half-life of PAS is similar in sensitive and resistant patients, but slightly longer than in volunteers. Finally, in urine collected 120 min after drug administration, we observed the same results as in plasma. In conclusion, cancer patients resistant to chemotherapy do not metabolize the model drug PAS as volunteers or sensitive patients do, and this might be relevant to the terminal stage of the disease.