URINARY-EXCRETION OF SIALIC-ACID IN PATIENTS WITH BLADDER-TUMORS

The pre- and post-treatment urinary total sialic acid/creatinine (TSA/ Cr) ratios of patients with bladder tumor (n = 60) were determined. We found a significant increase in the mean urinary TSA/Cr ratio in pati ents with bladder tumors than in healthy people (99.80 +/- 15.60 mu g/ g Cr, 52.57 +/- 15.60 mu g/g Cr, P < 0.001). We determined that the me an post-treatment TSA/Cr ratio of 44 patients was significantly lower than their pretreatment ratio and this value also decreased to the lev el in healthy people. (TSA/Cr ratios of 44 patients: in the pre-treatm ent period, 105.30 +/- 25.20 mu g/g Cr; in the post-treatment period, 54.50 +/- 15.80 mu g/Cr; healthy people, 52.57 +/- 15.60 mu g/g Cr, P < 0.001). The patients with decreased TSA/Cr ratio in the post-treatme nt period showed complete or partial regression of their disease. In 8 patients, urinary TSA/Cr ratio in the post-treatment period increased to 105 +/- 14.5 mu g/g Cr value. In clinical and pathologic evaluatio n, it was shown that disease progressed in all of these 8 patients. Th e mean post-treatment TAS/Cr ratio of 8 patients did not differ from t he pretreatment ratio (87.44 +/- 20.20 mu g/g Cr) and it was shown tha t their clinical status did not change. These findings show that urina ry excretion of TSA correlates with the clinical status of bladder tum or and it could be used to follow the course of the disease, and follo w-up treatment.