| Since 1970 urinary polyamine levels in normal and diseased states have been investigated in order to determine the usefulness of these levels in diagnosing neoplastic diseases or in monitoring therapeutic treatments. Although variation in urinary polyamines of patients on chemotherapy has been reported, this is the first study in which radiotherapy patients have been followed.;The polyamine data were analyzed in terms of the variable PSS/cr, (defined as the sum of the concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine divided by the concentration of urinary creatinine) and individually as a percent of the total. Cadaverine which is not derived from the same precursor as the other polyamines was analyzed independently.;Abnormally high values of the variable PSS/cr in pre-treatment urine samples were observed in patients with high tumor burden, whereas patients with low tumor burden exhibited normal values of PSS/cr. One or more of the polyamine levels expressed as a percent, that is:;(DIAGRAM, TABLE OR GRAPHIC OMITTED...PLEASE SEE DAI).;Since radiation treatments are usually given daily five times weekly for five to six weeks, first morning urine samples were collected weekly from patients before, during and after the completion of their treatment. Urine samples were filtered (22 nm pore size), hydrolyzed (6N HCl), column purified (silica gel) and dansylated. The dansylated polyamines were extracted and separated on TLC plates using three different solvent systems successively. The quantitation of the polyamines, namely putrescine, spermidine, and spermine and cadaverine were obtained by scanning the TLC plates with a UV light and measuring the fluorescent intensity.;were usually abnormal in pre-treatment urine samples. After a week of treatment or about ten grays of irradiation, the value of PSS/cr increased in patients who had initially normal values for this variable. On the other hand, if this variable was abnormally high prior to treatment, it decreased but still remained higher than the normal value. Generally, the percent variables tended to normalize after a week of radiation with the most dramatic changes occurring with initially high values of PSS/cr. In post-radiation urine samples the polyamine variables were generally in the normal range for patients who responded to the treatment, whereas the non-responsive patient had more than one polyamine variable out of the normal range. Cadaverine levels did not appear to be related to neoplastic disease.;Urinary polyamine levels in patients undergoing radiation therapy may be useful in monitoring the efficacy of the treatment. |
