Acetylator Phenotype in Human Bladder Cancer

Abstract

The acetylator phenotype of 26 bladder cancer patients and 26 controls was determined by the sulfamethazine method to evaluate whether patients with the slow acetylator phenotype have a greater susceptibility for bladder cancer. This hypothesis was suggested by experimental animals and human epidemiological observations. Of the 26 bladder cancer patients 12 (46%) had the slow acetylator phenotype compared to 18 of 26 controls (69%). Within the bladder cancer group there was no striking excess of the slow acetylator phenotype when subgrouped by occupational and smoking history. No significant association between the slow acetylator phenotype and human bladder cancer was shown.