Measurement of 5'-methylthioadenosine in patients with neoplasms

The amount of polyamines in urine from patients with various neoplasms is larger than in normal subjects. We have determined the concentration of 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA), a by-product of the polyamine biosynthesis, in patients with malignancies as well as normal subjects. Our studies indicate that the amount of MTA in urine from patients with leukemias and malignant lymphomas was higher than in normal subjects (p less than 0.005). Urine samples from patients with other malignancies contained normal amounts of MTA. The levels of blood MTA in patients with leukemias before treatment or in relapse was higher than in control subjects (p less than 0.005), while in patients with other malignancies and leukemia in remission, the levels were not different from control subjects. Peripheral blood MTA levels clearly decreased after effective chemotherapy. The measurement of MTA levels in urine and blood may not be as useful as polyamine assays for the detection of malignancies, but blood levels of MTA may be useful as an indicator of the efficacy of chemotherapy in leukemic patients.