Polyamines in malignant melanoma. Urinary excretion and disease progress.

Urinary polyamine concentrations in 91 samples were assayed in 79 patients with malignant melanoma who were classified as to clinical stage, as well as to activity of disease. Patients with active disease had higher mean polyamine values, increased frequency of polyamine elevations, and increased frequency of two or more elevations, than did patients with stable disease. Elevations of a single polyamine were seen as frequently in patients whose disease was considered stable as in those who showed progression. The polyamines may be useful as guides to activity of the disease, provided further studies can identify additional sources of nonspecific elevations.