Cytochrome P450IID phenotypes and human cancer risk

This paper reviews the work carried out by the author and his colleagues which has sought to determine the relative risk of various cancers and related conditions in extensive (EM) and poor (PM) metabolizer phenotypes which arise from the P450IID-mediated 4-hydroxylation of debrisoquine. Sex, phenotype, and occupation all markedly influence the relative risk of lung tumors in smokers, the last two of which demonstrate a powerful interaction. Future studies will need to be large and to use molecular and/or immunocytochemical approaches.