The activity of thymidine phosphorylase as a new ovarian tumor marker.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the thymidine phosphorylase (TP) activity of tumor cells and serum as a marker in patients with ovarian cancer.


METHODS
The activity of TP was measured by the spectrophotometric method in the cytosol of ovarian tumor tissues from 47 patients after surgery, and in the presurgery serum from the same patients. Ten women with normal ovaries, treated surgically due to nononcological reasons served as a control. Microvessel density (MD) was evaluated in tumor using immunohistochemical methods. A relationship between TP activity and MD and clinicopathologic features was investigated.


RESULTS
A significantly higher TP activity was stated both in malignant tumor and serum specimens from ovarian cancer patients when compared to the control. A positive correlation between the enzyme activity in the serum and neoplasmatic tissue was found. Neoangiogenesis is higher in ovarian cancer when compared to the group of borderline malignancy tumors but a reverse correlation between MD and TP activity in malignant tumors was observed. TP activity is significantly higher in more advanced neoplasmatic disease (FIGO III and IV) although no correlation between TP activity and grading or histopathological type of ovarian tumor was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Thymidine phosphorylase activity might be useful in diagnostic characterization of ovarian cancer.
Miszczak-Zaborska
Elzbieta
E
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Łódź, 92 215 Łódź, Poland.
Wójcik-Krowiranda
Katarzyna
K
Kubiak
Robert
R
Bieńkiewicz
Andrzej
A
Bartkowiak
Jacek
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase