title: Serum β-glucuronidase as a potential colon cancer marker: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Colorectal cancer is characterized by high morbidity and mortality in developed countries. The lack of low-cost, easy-to-use screening diagnostic methods is one of the causes of late diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Beta-glucuronidase (GLU) is a lysosomal exoglycosidase involved in degradation of glycosaminoglycans of the cell membranes and extracellular matrix of normal and cancerous colon tissues. The aim of our research was to evaluate the activity of GLU in the serum of colorectal cancer and estimate its potential value in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 21 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma and 17 healthy subjects. GLU activity was determined by the colorimetric method of Marciniak et al. by measuring the amount of p-nitrophenol released from 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucuronide, at λ = 405 nm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significantly greater activity of GLU (p<0.0001) in the serum of patients with colorectal cancer, as compared to the healthy subjects. The serum GLU activity significantly differentiates patients with colorectal cancer from healthy individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum GLU activity has diagnostic value and may be used in the diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Napoleon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Disasters, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir Dariusz
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Szajda
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Disasters, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Konarzewska-Duchnowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Radiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zalewska-Szajda
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gałązkowski
authors.affiliation: Medical College of the Universal Education Society, Lomza, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawko
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Disasters, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Halim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nammous
authors.affiliation: First Department of General Surgery and Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Vyacheslav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Buko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szulc
authors.affiliation: Medical College of the Universal Education Society, Lomza, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zwierz
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Disasters, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy Robert
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ładny
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009596:Nitrophenols; D005966:Glucuronidase