Urinary polyamine levels in patients with localized malignancy

Abstract

Polyamine levels (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) were determined in 24-hour urine samples by a high voltage electrophoresis technique. Twentyfour of 26 patients with localized malignant tumors had two or more elevated urinary polyamine levels. Seven of 12 patients with regional spread of their cancer and five of 11 patients with localized benign and/or noninvasive tumors had elevated urinary polyamine levels. Elevations were seen more frequently in patients with genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary tumors and less frequently in patients with gynecologic tumors. Our data suggest that there is no significant difference between the individual or total polyamine levels obtained in patients with localized malignant tumors, and those levels obtained in patients previously studied with widespread metastatic disease.