Measurement of serum N-acetyl beta glucosaminidase activity in patients with breast cancer.
N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity measured in sera from 129 breast cancer patients was elevated (mean 18.2 units/l) compared with that in sera from 28 healthy women (11.6 units/l) (p=0.001). There was a weak correlation between NAG activity and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA-153, but no relationship to age, menopausal status, node status, stage, histology of tumour or to steroid receptors. NAG, CEA and CA-153 were measured in periodic follow-up samples taken after surgery (up to 26 months) from 17 patients. NAG activity fluctuated within a narrow range, unlike CEA and CA-153. In 70% of cases the pattern was similar to at least one of the other markers, and was generally maintained at a higher level in patients who suffered relapse compared with those who remained disease-free up to the last follow-up, but was not significantly altered before relapse. The measurement of NAG activity is unlikely to be of value in predicting time or occurrence of relapse or of clinical utility in post-surgical therapy. Increased appearance in serum may aid metastasis by degrading the extracellular matrix and it may be better investigated as a predictor of progression from in situ to invasive and metastatic cancer.
Luqmani
Y
Y
Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, and the Kuwait Cancer Control Center. yunus@hsc.kuniv.edu.kw
Temmim
L
L
Memon
A
A
Abdulaziz
L
L
Parkar
A
A
Ali
M
M
Baker
H
H
Motawy
M
M
Fayaz
S
S
D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase