SIALIC-ACID LEVELS IN SERUM AND TISSUE FROM COLORECTAL-CANCER PATIENTS

Sialic acid levels were determined in serum and in both normal and tum our-derived tissues from 30 patients with colorectal cancer. Total sia lic acid (TSA), bound sialic acid (BSA),TSA normalised to total protei n (TSA/TP) and BSA normalised to total protein (BSA/TP) were significa ntly higher (P < 0.0001) in sera from patients than in normal subjects . We found a trend of increasing serum sialic acid levels (TSA/TP and BSA/TP) as the malignancy became more severe (i.e. Dukes' stages A to C). Comparison of sialic acid levels between normal and tumour-derived colorectal tissues indicated no statistically significant differences in TSA, BSA or FSA (free sialic acid) levels between both tissues; ho wever, TSA/TP and BSA/TP values were significantly decreased (P < 0.05 ) in the tumoral tissue. In this study, the possible relation between serum and tumour sialic acid levels in colorectal cancer patients was investigated. Our results showed that in these patients there was no c orrelation between serum BSA and tumour BSA levels. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.