Importance of serum sialic acid and lactate dehydrogenase in diagnosis and treatment monitoring of cervical cancer patients.

In an attempt to establish a blood-based biochemical index for diagnosis of cervical cancer and treatment monitoring of patients suffering from the disease, serum levels of total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA), and lactate dehydrogenase were estimated by highly specific spectrophotometric methods. Serum concentrations of the markers in 108 untreated cervical cancer patients were compared with the levels of the biomarkers in 125 healthy, age-matched female individuals (controls). The alterations in serum levels of the markers after radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients were also observed. The levels of all markers were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in untreated cervical cancer patients compared to the controls. TSA was found to be the most sensitive (90.74%) marker for diagnosis of cervical cancer. Combined use of the markers revealed maximum (100%) sensitivity. In comparison between early (stage I+II) and advanced (stage III+IV) malignant disease, the markers showed insignificant changes. TSA and LSA values in patients who did not respond to radiotherapy were significantly higher (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) than those of the responders. The results suggest that combined evaluation of the markers is helpful for diagnosis as well as for treatment monitoring of cervical carcinoma patients.