The response to temozolomide (TMZ) treatment in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) correlated with O(6)-methylguanine -DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation.
Future studies on the predictive and prognostic value of MGMT promoter methylation are urgently required for patients with relapsed SCLC treated with temozolomide in China.
MGMT promoter methylation is present in SCLC and cytological samples are perfectly adequate for methylation analysis, even if they were taken during routine diagnostic procedures, using different fixative and with low number and percentage of cancer cells.