CATHEPSIN B-LIKE ACTIVITY AS A SERUM TUMOR-MARKER IN OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Serum cathepsin B-like activity was determined in 75 patients with ova rian carcinomas and in control groups. Ovarian cancers were of FIGO st ages I-IV. Control groups consisted of 15 healthy women, 20 patients w ith myomas of the uterus, and 17 with benign ovarian cysts. Preoperati ve results showed elevated cathepsin B-like activity in 100% of the pa tients with ovarian cancers in relation to healthy subjects and patien ts with myomas, and in 78% in relation to benign ovarian cysts. Cathep sin B activity increased progressively with the FIGO stage of the dise ase, but the differences among particular stages were not statisticall y significant. In serous tumours cathepsin activity was significantly higher only in comparison to endometrioid ones (p < 0.001). Antipapain capacity of cystatins in the sera was also determined. No significant correlation between cathepsin B-like, and antipapain activity of cyst atins was found. Serum cathepsin B-like activity may be helpful in the preoperative differential diagnosis between ovarian carcinomas and be nign ovarian or uterine tumours.