MEASUREMENTS OF HAPTOGLOBIN BY THE REACTION WITH CONCANAVALIN A IN SERA OF PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN-TUMORS

The concentration of haptoglobin in sera of healthy women and patients with non-malignant and malignant ovarian tumours was measured by two methods, i.e. complex formation with haemoglobin and complex formation with concanavalin A. High correlation (r = 0.74) between both the met hods was found in the group of healthy women, but correlation coeffici ents were much lower in the group of non-malignant and malignant tumou rs (r = 0.42 and 0.37, respectively). Direct determinations of haptogl obin, and calculation of the ratio of haptoglobin bound to concanavali n A to haptoglobin bound to haemoglobin revealed statistically signifi cant differences among the examined groups. Comparison of two methods of haptoglobin quantitation suggest that processes connected with ovar ian disorders may alter the glycosylation of haptoglobin oligosacchari de chains.