title: The diagnostic value of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) measurement in the sera of patients with brain tumor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) exist in the brain. Alcohol dehydrogenase and ALDH are also present in brain tumor cells. Moreover, the activity of class I isoenzymes was significantly higher in cancer than healthy brain cells. The activity of these enzymes in tumor tissue is reflected in the serum and could thus be helpful for diagnostics of brain neoplasms. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of ADH and ALDH as markers for brain tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were taken for routine biochemical investigation from 115 patients suffering from brain tumors (65 glioblastomas, 50 meningiomas). For the measurement of the activity of class I and II ADH isoenzymes and ALDH activity, fluorometric methods were used. The total ADH activity and activity of class III and IV isoenzymes were measured by the photometric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in the activity of ADH I isoenzyme and ADH total in the sera of brain tumor patients compared to the controls. The diagnostic sensitivity for ADH I was 78%, specificity 85%, and positive and negative predictive values were 86% and 76% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ADH I increased with the stage of the carcinoma. Area under receiver-operating characteristic curve for ADH I was 0.71.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a potential role for ADH I as a marker for brain tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jelski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laniewska-Dunaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orywal
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochanowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rutkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szmitkowski
keywords: alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes; aldehyde dehydrogenase; brain tumor