Serum Alkaline DNase Research Articles

Evaluation of Serum Alkaline DNase Activity in Treatment Monitoring of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Our previously published data on breast cancer suggest that serum alkaline DNase, a known circulating tumour marker, can be used for treatment monitoring of cancer patients. Serum alkaline DNase activities were analyzed in 215 untreated head and neck cancer patients. The enzyme activity ranged from 0.17 to 97.97 IKU/l in untreated cancer patients. Responders (n = 314) showed significantly elevated activity of alkaline DNase as compared to untreated cancer patients (p < 0.001). While non-responders (n = 168) showed comparable activity with untreated cancer patients. Serum alkaline DNase activities were significantly elevated in responders as compared to non-responders (p < 0.001). Our clinical studies during follow-up of patients indicated that the variations in serum alkaline DNase activities in individual patients correlate closely with response to therapy. Serum alkaline DNase also appeared to be useful in predicting treatment response in the long-term follow-up of patients. Serum alkaline DNase was systematically examined as a possible indicator for recurrence in patients under complete remission. In conclusion, serum alkaline DNase may be useful as a treatment monitoring in patients with head and neck malignancies.

Influences of diet and surgical trauma on serum alkaline DNase activity levels

Changes in serum alkaline DNase activities might predict the therapeutic response in various malignant diseases. A decrease in serum alkaline DNase activity within days from the onset of therapy has been related to tumour necrosis and may be a possible sign of clinical response to effective treatment. To study if changes in serum alkaline DNase activity could be induced by non-tumour related tissue destruction, sera were collected on several occasions perioperatively in 18 patients undergoing surgery for benign gynaecological disease. Thirty apparently healthy women served as the control group. A significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in serum alkaline DNase activity was observed after an overnight fast in both groups of women. In contrast to the control women, the operated patients showed a significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in serum alkaline DNase activity throughout the operative period and 1 week postoperatively. We conclude that serum alkaline DNase activity is influenced by dietary factors as well as surgical trauma. These factors may limit the clinical usefulness of SADA in patients with cancer.

Initial experiences with serum alkaline DNase activity in monitoring the effects of therapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix

The objective was to evaluate if variations in serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) can predict the effects of therapy in women with early stages of primary cervical carcinoma. 29 out of 33 patients had no evidence of disease after therapy. Only 5 out of the 29 women showed increased SADA levels after therapy compared with the pretreatment SADA value. Of the 4 women with evidence of disease after therapy, 3 had unchanged or decreased SADA levels. We conclude that serum alkaline DNase activity seems to have little to offer in predicting the effects of treatment in stage I and stage II cervical carcinoma.

Variations in serum alkaline DNase activity have preditive value in the monitoring of clinical response to cancer therapy : B. Dewez, A. Iaraoglou, M. Lana, H. Taper, M. Robertroid. UCL 7369-1200 Bruxelles

Variations in serum alkaline DNase activity have preditive value in the monitoring of clinical response to cancer therapy : B. Dewez, A. Iaraoglou, M. Lana, H. Taper, M. Robertroid. UCL 7369-1200 Bruxelles

Predictive Value of Serum Alkaline Dnase Activity Variations in Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the variation in serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) as a means of therapeutic monitoring in patients with head and neck cancer. Blood samples from 40 patients were collected before, during, and some weeks up to months after therapy. A decrease in SADA during treatment was usually associated with a primary clinical response, while no decrease indicated non-response to therapy. In patients with complete tumor regression the initial decrease of SADA was usually followed by an increase exceeding the initial level. A similar increase was not observed in patients with tumor progression.

Variations in serum alkaline DNase activity: a new means to assess early detection of relapse in patients treated for acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia

Our previously published clinical results on various malignancies indicated that the variations in serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) could be a sensitive test for therapeutic monitoring of human malignancies. In the present study, the clinical efficacy of SADA detecting relapse in 32 acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) patients in remission was tested. The observation period ranged from 3 to 17 months. A simple and rapid biochemical technique based on spectrophotometric measurements was used to assay SADA. Of the 32 patients, 17 remained in remission and had less than a 15% variation in SADA levels. They had no clinical symptoms of recurrence at any time. In the remaining 15 patients, after a period of stability, a progressive decrease in SADA, with variations of more than 15%, was observed without any treatment. At that time, no abnormalities of clinical parameters were detected in these patients. A recurrence of disease as evidenced by routine examinations was found relatively late after the first decrease in SADA in all 15 patients (range 1.5 to 5.5 months). These results suggest that periodic measurements of SADA during the posttherapeutic course can be used as a means to assess early detection of an eventual recurrence.

Variations in Serum Alkaline DNase Activity: A New Means to Assess Early Detection of Relapse in Patients Treated for Acute Nonlymphoblastic Leukemia

Our previously published clinical results on various malignancies indicated that the variations in serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) could be a sensitive test for therapeutic monitoring of human malignancies. In the present study, the clinical efficacy of SADA detecting relapse in 32 acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) patients in remission was tested. The observation period ranged from 3 to 17 months. A simple and rapid biochemical technique based on spectrophotometric measurements was used to assay SADA. Of the 32 patients, 17 remained in remission and had less than a 15% variation in SADA levels. They had no clinical symptoms of recurrence at any time. In the remaining 15 patients, after a period of stability, a progressive decrease in SADA, with variations of more than 15%, was observed without any treatment. At that time, no abnormalities of clinical parameters were detected in these patients. A recurrence of disease as evidenced by routine examinations was found relatively late after the first decrease in SADA in all 15 patients (range 1.5 to 5.5 months). These results suggest that periodic measurements of SADA during the posttherapeutic course can be used as a means to assess early detection of an eventual recurrence.

Serum alkaline DNase activity in normal or nonhospitalised individuals

According to previous observations, the variations in serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) appeared to be useful in monitoring malignant disease. In this study, SADA was measured in 625 individuals to explore nontumor-related factors which may influence SADA levels. The overall range in SADA was 0.2–82.3 kU/l. Women aged 50–79 years had higher ( p< 0.001) levels of SADA than younger females. A similar but less consistent effect of age was noticed in men (0.01 < p < 0.05). Older men had lower (0.01 < p < 0.05) SADA levels than the older women. Old women substituted with estrogens had lower (0.01 < p < 0.05) levels of SADA than those not treated with estrogens. SADA levels in pregnancy as well as postparturition were lower ( p < 0.001) than SADA values in nonpregnant females of similar age. In fertile women, no SADA variation was observed during the menstrual cycle and there was no significant effect of contraceptive pills. In males, SADA seemed unrelated to testosterone or cortisol levels but varied during the day. Smoking, alcohol consumption and drug therapy appeared to be without effect on SADA.

Variations in serum alkaline DNase activity in rats during growth and treatment of tumors sensitive or resistant to therapy.

Serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) was investigated in rats receiving s.c. transplants of tumor cells sensitive or resistant to chemotherapy. Serum samples from each animal were collected before transplantation, during the development of tumors and after therapy. Within a few days after transplantation of both tumor lines (sensitive or resistant), SADA levels decreased progressively to 52% of the normal pre-transplantation level (p less than 0.01). This decrease in SADA preceded by 4 to 5 days the appearance of any palpable tumor mass. In all untreated animals as well as in treated rats bearing resistant tumors, SADA remained at a low level until death. In rats bearing tumors sensitive to therapy a progressive increase in SADA was observed after treatment, paralleling tumor regression. When tumor regression was complete, SADA resumed the levels of activity measured prior to transplantation.

Characteristic variations of serum alkaline DNase activity in relation to response to therapy and tumor prognosis in human lung cancer

The objective of the present study was to evaluate serum alkaline DNase activity (SADA) variations as a useful means of lung cancer monitoring therapy. SADA was measured in 40 patients with non-small cell and small cell carcinomas. Blood samples were collected before (Time 0), during the treatment and months after therapy. A decrease in SADA during the first treatment indicates a good clinical response, whereas an absence of decrease indicates a non-response to treatment. In patients who respond to therapy, three types of variations of SADA are observed during the clinical course. A progressive regaining of SADA up to a value largely exceeding the level of the initial SADA value ( T0) correlates with a complete remission. An incomplete regaining of enzyme activity corresponds to a partial remission, whereas no regaining of SADA precedes a fatal evolution. Such variations in SADA observed in the 40 patients with lung carcinomas support our previously published clinical results, confirming that the variations of SADA could be a reliable marker for the therapeutic monitoring of different human malignancies.

Serum deoxyribonucleases in patients with breast cancer

Serum acid and alkaline DNase levels were determined in the serum of 224 breast cancer patients and 110 healthy individuals. Values above 400 U/ml serum for the acid DNase and 200 U/ml serum for the alkaline DNase were taken as abnormal. Whereas a percentage of breast cancer patients showed increased DNase levels none of the healthy individuals reached an abnormal value. DNase levels were correlated with the clinical status of the breast cancer patients. The percentage of patients with elevated DNase levels was found to be increased with increasing clinical stage. For the acid DNase it was found to be 4 63 ( 6%), 2 11 ( 18%), 7 25 ( 28%), 39 80 ( 49%) and 43 45 ( 96%) for benign tumors and stages I, II, III and IV breast carcinomas, respectively, whereas for alkaline DNase it was 2 63 ( 3%), 2 11 ( 18%), 8 25 ( 32%), 42 80 ( 52%) and 42 45 ( 93%). All 20 of the clinical stage III patients examined 1 month after modified radical mastectomy, as well as 35 other breast cancer patients on adjuvant therapy, had a normal value of DNase levels. With few exceptions i.e., rheumatic fever and polymyositis, no significant increase in nuclease activity was found in the serum of patients with some other conditions causing inflammatory responses and cell death. These preliminary findings indicate that measurements of serum DNase could be used in diagnosis and in monitoring the response to surgical treatment of breast cancer patients.