LACK OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLYMORPHISM OF DEBRISOQUINE OXIDATION AND LUNG-CANCER

1 Determination of debrisoquine oxidation phenotype was carried out in 119 healthy subjects, 135 patients with chronic bronchitis and 153 patients with lung cancer, all of Caucasian origin. 2 A non-Gaussian distribution of the log D/HD ratio was observed in the three groups. 3 Assuming an antimode of 1.12, the proportion of PMs was found to be 6.7% in healthy subjects, 8.9% in chronic bronchitics and 6.5% in patients with lung cancer. These differences were not significant. 4 The presence of a lung tumour itself had no influence on phenotype in a group of 14 patients who were phenotyped before and after surgery. 5 We conclude that a link between debrisoquine phenotype and lung cancer is unlikely.