While high expression (⩾5% of tumour cells positive) of multidrug resistance-associated protein1 and P-glycoprotein was observed in 70 patients (68%) and 42 patients (41%), respectively, 65 patients (63%) had primary tumours with high expression (⩾25% of tumour cells positive) of thymidylate synthase. Here, TYMS is linked to neoplasm.