title: Alpha-1 antitrypsin (alpha1-AT) plasma levels in lung, prostate and breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alpha-1 antitrypsin (alpha1-AT) is one of the most important extra-cellular serine protease inhibitors. Elevation of alpha1-AT serum levels have been observed in the course of a large number of malignant diseases. In this study, using Radial Immunodiffusion Method, we studied the serum levels of alpha1-AT in lung, prostate and breast cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lung and prostate cancer patients have shown a significant elevation in alpha1-AT serum levels compared with those of healthy controls (P-value = 0,0001, 0,003 respectively). On the other hand, breast cancer patients did not show a significant change in these levels. Serum levels of alpha1-AT were 261.7 +/- 107.26, 222.7 +/- 87.30 and 183.8 +/- 45.05 mg/dl of lung, prostate and breast cancer patients, respectively, while those of healthy controls were 163.9 +/- 23.2 mg/dl in males and 186.13 +/- 39.81 mg/dl in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrated that alpha1-AT plasma levels might be an alarming factor to be considered in the diagnosis as well as in the follow up of cancer cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine, Irbid 22110, Jordan. zakawi@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Zeyad J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: El-Akawi
authors.forename: Fatin K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Al-Hindawi
authors.forename: Nabil A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bashir