Significance of serum heat stable alkaline phosphatase, fucose and total sialic acid as tumour markers for breast carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Serum levels of heat stable alkaline phosphatase [HSAP], fucose and total sialic acid [TSA] were measured in forty patients with different stages breast carcinoma, ten patients with benign breast disease fibroadenosis and ten healthy female individuals. HSAP and TSA were significantly elevated in patients with breast carcinoma as compared to the controls; while in fibroadenosis, TSA only, was different from that in controls HSAP was more significantly increased in stage IV as compared to stage I and III. Serum fucose was found to have higher significant mean values in stage IV as compared both to controls and stage I. TSA showed significant increase in its mean vaule in cancer patients of stage II, III and IV as compared to the controls. Serum mean values of HSAP and fucose were significantly increased in patients with breast carcinoma [stage IV] as compared to fibroadenosis. The present study showed also that HSAP and fucose levels in the serum were most specific [100%] whereas TSA levels were most sensitive [40%] for breast carcinoma. It can be suggested that the combined use of the markers studied may give a high degree of marker positivity and can be useful in the diagnosis of breast carcinoma