Pyruvate Kinase Type Tumor M2 in Urological Malignancies

Abstract

Introduction: The dimeric form of pyruvate kinase type M2 is overexpressed in tumor cells (TuM2-PK). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical value of TuM2-PK as a tumor marker for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC) and prostate cancer (PCA) by using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of TuM2-PK in plasma. Material and Methods: The TuM2-PK concentration in EDTA plasma was determined quantitatively and immunologically using an ELISA (ScheBo^®Tech, Germany). We measured the TuM2-PK plasma levels of 83 patients with RCC, 30 patients with TCC and 30 patients with PCA before any therapy. 100 patients with various non-malignant urological disorders were recruited as the control group. Results: Only patients with RCC showed significantly elevated plasma levels of TuM2-PK compared to the control group (p < 0.01). We found a sensitivity of 42.6% and a specificity of 80.4% using a cut-off value of 15 U/ml (manufacturer’s recommendation). During follow-up, only 50% showed increasing plasma levels of TuM2-PK in case of metastases. Significant differences could not be detected in either TCC or PCA. Conclusions: Our data suggest that TuM2-PK is not a useful marker for TCC and PCA. Due to low sensitivity and specificity, TuM2-PK is not suitable for the diagnosis of RCC. Whether TuM2-PK may be useful in advanced RCC to control success of palliative treatment regimens is still unclear.

Pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2 is not of diagnostic relevance as a marker for oral cancer

“…The TuM2-PK concentration ranged from À37 U/ml to 285 U/ml in the tumour group and from À74 U/ml to 147 U/ml in the control group, respectively. This is consistent with previous studies reporting a mean interassay coefficient of variance ranging up to 17.5% and confirms the specific problems involved in the measurement of TuM2-PK (Varga et al, 2002;Hegele et al, 2003). Negative absorbance at low concentrations may probably be attributed to statistical spread as corroborated by the standard deviation (SD) of the standard concentrations of the test kits, or by hampering effects of particular serum components in some patients.…”

“…The small tumour mass of OSCC, even in stage T4, could be a possible explanation for the findings of this study. However, the results are in agreement with Varga et al (2002), Hegele et al (2003), Oremek et al (2003b), Roigas et al (2003) and Staib et al (2006) who have found similar sensitivities and specificities for other malignancies and suggested that the TuM2-PK test was unsuitable for monitoring and early detection of cancer.…”

The pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2 (Tu M2-PK) as a tumour marker for renal cell carcinoma

“…2001, Varga et al . 2002Hegele et al 2003). Based on our Tu M2-PK receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis results, and in consent with those studies, we do not suggest using this marker for primary diagnosis of RCC.…”

Inhibition of Pyruvate Kinase M2 Markedly Reduces Chemoresistance of Advanced Bladder Cancer to Cisplatin

“…First and foremost, despite the increasingly appreciated role of PKM2 in oncogenesis in several non-BC types2223, the association of PKM2 with BC was only mentioned occasionally in the literature and not significantly beyond the conflicting results of whether plasma concentrations of PKM2 were diagnostic of urological malignancies2425. A rare exception was the attempt to determine, by mass spectrometry, the relative abundance of PKM2 versus its alternatively spliced isoform PKM126.…”