Serum thymidine kinase in monoclonal gammopathies. A prospective study

Abstract

Between January 1986 and March 1990, the serum levels of thymidine kinase (TK) were evaluated at diagnosis in 97 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and 149 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) enrolled in a prospective protocol for treatment of MM. At presentation, patients with MGUS had lower TK levels than those with Stage I MM (P < 0.05} and the overall population of those with MM (P < 0.0005). TK levels were increased in advanced stages in comparison with earlier ones (P < 0.01). The TK level was related to survival. With a median follow‐up of 29 months, patients with TK levels greater than 7.0 U/μl had shorter survival times than those with lower levels (medians, 23 and 42 months; P < 0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, TK explained most of the variability of survival (P < 0.0001), the remaining being accounted for by serum creatinine and beta‐2 microglobulin. No changes in TK levels occurred during follow‐up of patients with stable MGUS, whereas TK levels increased in two patients at time of progression to overt MM. In patients with MM, TK levels decreased (P < 0.01) in those who responded to treatment but increased in those having relapses (P < 0.03) and those with progressive disease (P < 0.03). These results indicate that TK has clinical and prognostic relevance in monoclonal gammopathies, and additional investigations are warranted to determine whether it is a useful tool for the clinical evaluation, staging, and follow‐up of patients with MM. Cancer 1992; 69:1368‐1372.

Utility of Serum Thymidine Kinase Activity Measurements for Cases of Bovine Leukosis with Difficult Clinical Diagnoses

“…TK is activated during the G1/S phase of the cell cycle, and its activity correlates with tumor cell proliferation [2]. Serum TK concentrations increase in patients with several types of hematopoietic tumors [4,5,8,9]. Serum TK activity is useful for detecting, grading and monitoring tumors in lymphoma and leukemia patients, may also be helpful in diagnosing and monitoring canine lymphoma and leukemia [13] and is also a possible marker of bovine leukosis [11].…”

“…Serum thymidine kinase (TK) activity has been evaluated as a serum marker for human and canine hematopoietic tumors [4,5,8,9,14] and is potentially a marker for BL with higher sensitivity than FNA [11]. In our previous study, 19 of 20 cows (95.0%) with BL showed serum TK activities above the cut-off point (>5.4 IU/l) [10].…”

Presenting features of monoclonal gammopathies: an analysis of 684 newly diagnosed cases

“…Therefore, while osteoporosis cannot be considered a diagnostic sign, it is likely to be worse in the presence of malignant plasma cell proliferation [ 13, 191. Differences among MM stages, still operationally defined according to Durie & Salmon, comprised parameters included in other staging systems, such as serum creatinine, calcium, P2-microglobulin, albumin and BMPC% [20]. Other features, such as serum TK, are under study [6] and deserve attention for the ease with which they are obtained in the clinical setting.…”

Prognostic factors in multiple myeloma: role of ?2-microglobulin and thymidine kinase

“…Only albumin, serum 132-microglobulin and serum thymidine kinase added further prognostic information. When tested for efficiency in recognizing patients with poor (average survival time < 1 year) and good (average survival time > 5 years) prognosis, serum J32-microglobulin was best (80%), followed by total urinary protein (78%), hemoglobin (76%), and albumin (75%).Serum 132-microglobulin ([32-M) and serum thymidine kinase (TK) have been described relatively as parameters of correct prognostic predictivity in multiple myeloma [4,6,14,17]. Serum J32-M, first described by Berggard and Bearn [7], is a single polypeptide chain witout carbohydrates that appears in the cytoplasmic membrane of all nucleicontaining cells and takes part in HLA antigens.…”

“…Serum 132-microglobulin ([32-M) and serum thymidine kinase (TK) have been described relatively as parameters of correct prognostic predictivity in multiple myeloma [4,6,14,17]. Serum J32-M, first described by Berggard and Bearn [7], is a single polypeptide chain witout carbohydrates that appears in the cytoplasmic membrane of all nucleicontaining cells and takes part in HLA antigens.…”