Elevated serum ribonuclease in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

Serum RNase of normal persons and of patients with pancreatitis, carcinoma of pancreas or other neoplasms was determined with poly(C) as substrate. Strikingly abnormal elevations occurred in the serum RNase of patients with pancreatic cancer. There was no elevation in the serum RNase level of patients with pancreatitis. Average serum RNase values of 52 normal persons, 10 patients with pancreatitis, 30 patients with pancreatic cancer, 28 patients with breast cancer, 11 patients with lung cancer, 20 patients with colon cancer, 6 patients with stomach cancer and 4 patients with liver cancer, respectively, were 104, 120, 383, 131, 173, 197, 194 and 152 units/ml of serum. Ninety percent of the patients with pancreatic cancer were above the level of 250 units/ml of serum and 90% of all patients with varied cancers were below this level. In the presence of severe renal insufficiency, marked elevation of serum RNase was also observed. Serum RNase, because of its unique specificity, pancreatic origin and its abnormal elevation in sera of patients with pancreatic cancer, serves as a reliable biochemical marker of carcinoma of the pancreas in the presence of normal renal function.