title: Evaluation of plasma levels of thymidine kinase and mutated p53 in 81 patients with newly diagnosed malignant lymphoma.
abstract: We analysed diagnostic phase plasma levels of thymidine kinase (TK) and mutated p53 in 81 patients with malignant lymphoma. Forty-three (53%) patients had increased (> 10 U/l) TK activity whereas 30 (37%) were positive for the mutated p53 gene product. In general, patients with p53 mutation positive tumors tended to have higher TK activity than those without. Furthermore, patients with high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) showed almost a linear correlation (rs = 0.79) between plasma levels of mutated p53 and TK. We conclude that the monoclonal antibody assisted detection of mutated p53 gene product may prove a useful adjunct to the diagnostic procedures of malignant lymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology and Pathology, Tampere University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aine
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kellokumpu-Lehtinen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hakala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D013937:Thymidine Kinase