ROLE OF SERUM ENZYMES IN ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF RADIATION-THERAPY FOR HUMAN CARCINOMA OF UTERINE CERVIX

In different stages of carcinoma of the uterine cervix, the activities of serum 5'-nucleotidase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), phosphohexose isomerase (PI-II), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), transaminases, and phosphatases were studied before and after radiation treatment. G lycolytic enzymes (LDH, PI-II) were found to be increased from stage I onwards, whereas GGT, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and acid and alkaline phosphatases increased on ly in the advanced stages (stages III, IV), when compared with normal values. 5'-Nucleotidase was found to be increased significantly from s tage II onwards when compared with the normal. The increased levels of these enzymes were reversed to near normal levels after radiotherapy. The increased levels of serum transaminases, phosphatases, and GGT in the advanced stages of carcinoma of uterine cervix may be explained o n the basis of liver involvement and bone metastasis. The degree of in crease in the activities of PI-II and LDH may reflect the status of th e cancer. The activity of 5'-nucleotidase in serum may be used as an a dditional marker to assess the status of carcinoma of uterine cervix u nder circumstances when other markers fail to provide clear indication s.