Clinical Significance of Serum Spermine in Breast Cancer

Analysis of polyamines as carbamoyl derivatives in urine and serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A quantitative analysis of polyamines in urine and serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is described. The polyamines were carbamylated with isobutyl chloroformate, extracted with diethyl ether under pH 9.0, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS with single reaction monitoring mode. The limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL based on a signal-to-noise ratio>3, and the correlation coefficient (r2) for the calibration curves was >0.99 for both urine and serum samples. The present method was applied to urine and serum samples from 30 breast cancer patients and 30 normal female controls. There was no significant difference in the urinary polyamine levels between breast cancer patients and controls. However, 1,3-diaminopropane, putrescine, spermine and N-acetylspermidine levels in serum increased in breast cancer patients. These four serum polyamines may be a good index to study both production and metabolism of polyamines, and a useful tool in assessment of the polyamine status of breast cancer patients.

Use of serum markers in the diagnosis and management of laryngeal cancer

Many neoplastic diseases are reported to be accompanied by the presence or associated with an increase in biological substances identified as tumour markers. The most common markers implicated in head and neck cancers are CEA, TPA, LASA, SCC, CA 19-9, and ferritin. These markers (except SCC) were evaluated in 50 patients with a laryngeal carcinoma, in 20 patients with benign lesions, and in 20 healthy subjects. The results show for each marker assayed the following sensitivity values (true positives): CEA, 10%; CA 19-9, 30%; TPA, 30%; LASA, 90%; ferritin, 60%. Specificity (true negatives) was as follows: CEA, 85%; CA 19-9, 99.4%; TPA, 98%; LASA, 99.8%; ferritin, 97%. LASA and ferritin seem to be the most suitable markers for patient monitoring because of their higher sensitivity in all phases of cancer disease.