The alterations in alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities in the sera of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: In a previous study we showed that the total activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and its isoenzyme class I was significantly higher in renal cancer (RCC) cells compared to normal kidney. The aim of this study was to compare the activities of ADH isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in the sera of patients with different stages of RCC and healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples were taken from 54 patients with clear cell RCC (17 patients in stage II, 22 in stage III and 15 in stage IV) and 52 healthy patients. Class III, IV of ADH and the total ADH activity was measured by the photometric method. For the measurement of ADH class I, II and the total ALDH activity we employed the fluorometric method. RESULTS: The total activity of ADH and its isoenzyme class I were significantly higher in the sera of patients with every stage of RCC compared to healthy subjects. The analysis of ALDH activity did not indicate significant differences between tested groups. CONCLUSIONS: The increased activity of total ADH and its isoenzyme class I in the sera of patients with RCC, seems to be caused by isoenzymes being released from cancerous cells and may be useful for diagnostics of renal cancer.