title: Activity of thymidilate "salvage pathway" enzymes in human gastric cancer and blood serum: correlation with treatment modalities.
abstract: A comparative study of enzyme activity features of thymidilate "salvage pathway" synthesis in blood serum and tissues of different age patients with gastric cancer (T(3-4)N(0-x)M(0)) was carried out.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic relevance of thymidilate metabolism enzymes activities and their association with tumor growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Enzymes activities were determined by the radioisotope method and spectrophotometrically in tumor tissues and blood serum of 74 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was demonstrated that thymidine phosphorylase activity in gastric tumors is lower by 2.6 times as compared to non-neoplastic mucosa of resection margin. This being accompanied by decrease of its activity in the blood serum (from 47.9 ± 2.6 to 14.65 ± 2.4 nmol/min·mg, p < 0.001). An increase of thymidine kinase activity was revealed both in tumor tissues (more than 3.5 times) and in blood serum (from 3.9 ± 0,7 nmol/mg·h, to 6.8 ± 1.0 nmol/mg·h, p < 0.01). Changes in their activity in the postoperative period depended on the type of surgical procedure and tumor eradication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It could be suggested that control of individual dynamics of the enzymes activities in blood serum may be used as informative tool for monitoring of patients and treatment optimization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Maksim Gorky National Medical University, Donetsk, Ukraine. borzenko.bg@rambler.ru
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Borzenko
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bakurova
authors.forename: Yu A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Popovich
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sidyuk
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Popovich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D044967:Serum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000601:surgery; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013941:Thymine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D013941:Thymine; D013936:Thymidine