Ovarian Cancer and Tumor Markers: Sialic Acid, Galactosyltransferase and CA-125

Abstract

In an effort to correlate the serum values of potential markers, including CA-125, galactosyltransferase, and total sialic acid, with residual tumor mass after initial surgery, 43 patients with FIGO stage lib and c, III and IV ovarian cancer were studied. The sensitivity of galactosyltransferase and siliac acid levels was sufficient to correlate their serum values with the corresponding residual tumor mass. Furthermore, 28 patients were histopathologically evaluated for their response to chemotherapy. Determination of these tumor markers did not permit discrimination between small residual disease (≤1 cm) and a state of ‘no evidence of disease’. Conversely, progression of disease has been associated with a sensitive increase in the level of all three markers. CA-125 has been found to be the most useful of the three for distinguishing between responders and nonre-sponders.

Silymarin/Silybin and Chronic Liver Disease: A Marriage of Many Years

“…Rabbit anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) polyclonal antibody at a dilution of 1:50 is a cell-cycle marker: its elevated expression is commonly associated to cell hyperproliferation [ 133 ]; similarly, argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (AgNOR) levels are directly correlated to the passage from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle [ 134 ]. Silymarin is able to reduce not only PCNA and AgNOR levels compared to controls, but also serum and liver glycoproteins/glycoconjugates content, which could be increased in many neoplastic diseases [ 132 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 ]. Silymarin also reduces levels of β-catenin, which, moving into the nucleus, promotes the expression of pro-proliferative genes [ 139 ], to reduce Bcl2/Bax ratio, promoting apoptosis, and reduces mitochondrial membrane potential probably associated to cytocrome c release in cytoplasm [ 132 ].…”

Protective role of allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) on cell surface glycoconjugate moieties in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene-induced oral carcinogenesis

“…Malignant transformation of oral epithelium is often connected with atypical glycosylation of cell surface carbohydrates [33]. Increased levels of glycoprotein linked with higher proliferative activity often occur in ovarian cancer [34]. In cancer patients, the high levels of glycoconjugates in sera is usually as a result of the release of glycoconjugates from the cell membrane [35].…”

Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Disease Etiology, Treatment, Detection, and Investigational Gene, Metabolite, and Protein Biomarkers

“…Some proteins have been studied as EOC biomarkers more so than others and investigated by multiple groups (Table ). − ,,,,,,,,,,− Proteins that have attracted the most attention in recent years have either been discussed individually, as a member of a panel of protein markers, or in the framework of pattern recognition.…”

“…They observed normal to low activities of galactosyl transferase in the majority of cancer patients . However, in 1988 Goldhirsch and colleagues used an incubation assay to analyze 43 EOC patients and found elevated levels of the enzyme, compared to controls . Udagawa and colleagues performed another study in 1998 using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay and a cutoff value of 16 U/mL .…”

“…133 Galactosyl transferase, also known as uridine 5′-phosphogalactose:glycoprotein galactosyl transferase, is an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of many glycan structures. 151 In 1986, Belfield and colleagues studied blood samples from 18 EOC patients and 19 healthy controls. 150 They observed normal to low activities of galactosyl transferase in the majority of cancer patients.…”