Urine protein analysis by gel electrophoresis and laser densitometry afterchemotherapy in pediatric cancer patients

A common side effect of chemotherapy is reversible or nonreversible nephrot oxicity. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis combined with laser densito metry was evaluated as a suitable method to analyze pathologic urine protei ns. A total of 52 pediatric patients were followed during and 63 patients w ere followed after therapy. During therapy renal damage was recorded in 43% of the leukemia patients, in 56% of nephroblastoma patients, and 75% of pa tients with other tumors. Three or more months after therapy pathologic pat terns were seen in 25% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, in 35% of patients with nephroblastoma, and in 62% of other patients. Patients with p ersistent complete tubular proteinuria and mixed glomerular/tubular protein uria were found to have a high risk for irreversible renal damage and shoul d be controlled periodically. This method permits a rapid and reliable anal ysis of urine proteins and is suitable for follow-up tests of renal functio n during and after chemotherapy.