[Correlation between clinicopathological factors and enzymatic activity of orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in esophageal cancer].

We investigated the relationship between orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and clinicopathological characteristics in 48 patients with esophageal cancer. DPD activity resulted in no significant differences between cancer tissue and normal tissue, and no relationship with clinicopathological factors. OPRT activity was significantly increased in cancer tissue; its activity was significantly lower in patients with lymph node metastasis and lymph vessel invasion, and significantly higher in Stage I and II than in Stage III and IV. The OPRT/DPD ratio has a relation to cancer staging and survival rate. These results suggested that OPRT levels were related to the clinic pathological characteristics and survival of esophageal cancer.