Importance and clinical significance of serum sialic acid and lactate dehydrogenase determination in cervical cancer patients

ABSTRACT

In an attempt to establish a blood-based biochemical index for diagnosis of cervical cancer patients, serum levels of total sialic acid [TSA] and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], were estimated. Serum concentrations of the markers in 30 untreated cervical cancer patients were compared with the levels of the biomarkers in 20 healthy, ages matched female individuals with the same socio-economic status as controls. Cancer cervix patients were divided into 2 groups; group [A], early disease [stages I and II] n=18, and group [B] advanced disease [stages III and IV] n=12. The levels of all markers were found to be significantly higher [P<0.001] in untreated cervical cancer patients versus to the control group. TSA was found to be the most sensitive [86.6%] marker for diagnosis of cervical cancer. Combined use of the markers revealed higher sensitivity [93.3%]. In comparison between advanced [stages III and IV] and early [I and II malignant disease, the markers showed higher levels in advanced disease, but this increase was found to be insignificant [P<0.05]. These results suggest that combined evaluation of these markers is helpful for diagnosis of cervical carcinoma patients in conjunction with the studies of cervical smear and other conventional diagnostic methods: