Urinary N-Acetyl-β-D-Glucosaminidase Levels in Patients with Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Tumour markers play an important role in the diagnosis of cancer and the early detection of recurrences during follow-up. This study aimed to assess the clinical value of measuring urinary N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (U-NAG) levels in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Prospective, controlled study. Tertiary university hospital. Our study included 21 patients with primary laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 17 cases with recurrent laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. U-NAG levels of patients with tumours at different stages were compared with a control group of 19 healthy individuals with no known cancer. Patients' age, TNM stage, blood urea, glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and U-NAG. A statistically significant difference was found between U-NAG levels of patients with a primary tumour (preoperative period) and the control group (one-way analysis of variance, p = .00; Dunnett's t-test, p = .00). In the postoperative period, the observed trend was that of a significant decrease among primary cases (paired t-test, p = .00). U-NAG levels of patients with a recurrent tumour and patients with a primary tumour (preoperative period) were not significantly different (Tukey honest significant difference test, p = .841). There was no statistically significant difference for blood urea (t = -1.95, p = .064), glucose (t = -1.84, p = .074), or ALT (t = -1.79, p = .080). No significant relationship was found between the TNM stage and preoperative U-NAG levels (p > .05). These results suggest that U-NAG might be used in the diagnosis of laryngeal carcinoma and the early detection of recurrences during follow-up. Further investigations are warranted to clarify the prognostic significance of U-NAG levels.