Detection of resistance proteins in matched primary lung tumors and lymph node metastases

The expression of several resistance markers (P-glycoprotein, glutathione S-transferase-pi, thymidylate synthase, dihydrofolate reductase) was analyzed in matched primary tumors and lymph node metastases from 21 patients with lung cancer using immunohistochemistry. The analysis showed that expression of these resistance proteins is generally congruent in primary lung cancer and simultaneously resected lymph node metastases. This suggests that in general the resistance of a primary tumor predicts for the resistance of the metastases and vice versa.