Serum ribonucleases in pancreatic cancer: relation to tumor histology

Serum Ribonuclease (RNase, EC. 3. 1. 4. 22) of normal persons and of patients with chronic pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer was determined with poly (C) as substrate. Strikingly abnormal elevations occured in the serum RNase of patients with pancreatic cancer (p less than 0.001). Average serum RNase values of 18 normal persons, 10 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 26 patients with pancreatic cancer were 92, 118, and 249 units, respectively. In patients with pancreatic cancer, we compared the RNase level with four histologic types (ductar cell adenocarcinoma, anaplastic cell carcinoma, acinar cell carcinoma, and islet cell carcinoma). Adenocarcinoma showed higher activity than the other histologic types (p less than 0.005). When we compared the serum of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer tumor extract with normal serum and normal pancreas extract, strikingly different phosphocellulose chromatographic pattern were evident. The correlation of increased serum RNase levels with tumor histology and different chromatographic pattern may explain the new enzyme production in cancer patients, and have biological significance in the development of pancreatic cancer.