UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: Dolichyl phosphate functions as a potential apoptosis inducer as well as a rate limiting factor in proliferation and differentiation. With focus on a predictor of individual susceptibility to lung cancer the present study was carried out to estimate urinary levels of Dolichol (Dol) in tobacco smokers. Methods: The samples obtained from 10256 persons. 6460 healthy smokers : 4805 males and 1655 females (18-72 years old). Smoking behaviour – more than 20 cigarettes per day for at least 5 years. Dol in urine was assayed by HPLC. The occurrence of lung cancer cases were registered for 10 years. Results: Urinary Dol in healthy persons is 6 – 10 mkg/mmol. During 10 years of observation the elevated urinal Dol was evaluated in 15% of nonsmokers and 24% of smokers. 66% smokers with elevated urinal Dol excretion and 5,8% smokers with normal urinal Dol excretion were diagnosed with different forms of lung cancer. Dol has been reported to be 5 to 40 times the normal values in lung cancer patients, suggesting a metabolic abnormality of N-glycosylation in proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. . Individual susceptibility to tobacco smoke carcinogens could be related to Dolichyl Phosphate N-Acetylglucosamine-1 Phosphate Transferase (DPAGT1) polymorphism.