[Urine polyamine in patients with malignant urological diseases using a polyamine-test enzyme kit]

Using a polyamine-test enzyme kit, the urine polyamine concentration was determined in 74 patients with malignant urological disease (12 with renal cell cancer, 13 with pelvic-ureter cancer, 24 with bladder cancer and 25 with prostate cancer), 7 patients with BPH, 20 patients with benign urological disease and 20 normal subjects. The urine polyamine level was significantly elevated in all the patients with any malignant urological disease compared to normal subjects. It was also significantly high in the patients with BPH. Defining the mean +/- 3SD (= 50 mumole/g Cr.) of 20 normal subjects as an upper limit, slightly higher levels not exceeding 100 mumol/g Cr. were frequently observed in the patients with BPH or with benign urological disease. Setting the upper limit at 100 mumole/g Cr., the positive rate amounted to 33% (low stage 17%) in renal cell cancer, 23% (low stage 14%) in pelvic ureter cancer, 13% (low stage 0%) in bladder cancer and 4% (low stage 0%) in prostate cancer. The positive rate was low especially in low stage cases.