Up-regulation of heat shock protein 70 in adenocarcinomas of the lung in smokers.

Tumour samples of smokers (n = 32) and non-smokers (n = 21) with previously untreated adenocarcinomas of the lung were analysed, immunohistochemically, for expression of the heat shock protein 70 (hsp70). A correlation between smoking habits and expression of hsp70 was found. Of the tumours from the 21 non-smokers 12 (57%) and of the 32 smokers 24 tumours (75%) showed high hsp70 expression. The expression of hsp70 depended on the number of cigarettes smoked daily. Of the patients who smoked more than 20 cigarettes, 16 out of 18 had tumours with a high hsp70 expression (89%; p = 0.028).