title: Serum deoxythymidine kinase: no help in the diagnosis and prognosis of monoclonal gammopathy.
abstract: Serum deoxythymidine kinase activity (S-TK) was determined in the diagnostic evaluation and follow-up of patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). During a 4-year period 35 patients were included in the study. Normal concentrations of S-TK were found in 33. Patients with non-progressive monoclonal gammopathy kept a stable, and for the individual, a characteristic level of S-TK during several years of follow-up. A moderately elevated level of S-TK during observation did not indicate progression. Even in four out of five patients developing symptomatic multiple myeloma S-TK remained unchanged. Determination of S-TK does not give diagnostic or prognostic information in monoclonal gammopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ostra Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bäck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jagenburg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rödjer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000201:enzymology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology*; D011379:Prognosis; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013937:Thymidine Kinase