ACTIVITIES OF TOTAL, CYTOPLASMIC, AND MITOCHONDRIAL SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ENZYMES IN SERA AND PLEURAL FLUIDS FROM PATIENTS WITH LUNG-CANCER

In this study, total cytoplasmic (Cu,Zn-SOD) and mitochondrial (Mn-SOD ) superoxide dismutase activities were measured in sera and pleural fl uids from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The resul ts were compared with those of control subjects and those of patients with tuberculosis and chronic heart failure. Serum activities were fou nd higher in all patient groups compared to control group. Highest val ues were however in tuberculosis group. In the correlation analysis, m eaningful intra- and inter-correlations were established between enzym e activities in the samples. Results suggest that high serum and pleur al fluid SOD activities are not specific biochemical parameters for ca rcinogenesis and, activities may also increase in some other degenerat ive diseases such as tuberculosis, chronic heart failure, etc. Therefo re, we believe that it is not useful to use serum and pleural fluid SO D activities for diagnostic purposes in cancer. However, the activitie s of these enzymes in the biological samples might be used as nonspeci fic prognostic markers in assessing cellular and mitochondrial tissue destruction. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.