Plasma spermidine concentrations in patients with tumours of the breast or prostate or testis

Plasma spermidine concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in normal subjects and in patients with various tumours of the breast, prostate or the testis. The sensitivity of the method was 0.45 pmol spermidine/20 microliter plasma and the cross reactivity was 13% with putrescine and 2% with spermine. Plasma spermidine concentrations were raised in 25% of the patients with prostatic cancer (mean concentration 316.7 +/- 240.69 nmol/l) and in 8% of the patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (mean concentration 198.9 +/- 169.92 nmol/l). No correlation was found between elevated plasma levels of spermidine in the prostatic cancer patients and tumour stage or metastatic status of the patients. No correlation of plama spermidine concentrations and age was found in 61 normal male subjects (mean concentration 200.3 +/- 137.71 nmol/l plasma). Only 29% of the patients with breast carcinoma had elevated levels of spermidine compared to normal female subjects. Plasma spermidine concentrations did not correlate with clinical stage or oestrogen receptor status in these patients. Patients with testicular tumours had elevated mean concentrations of plasma spermidine. One out of five patients with seminoma of the testis and six out of 16 patients with teratoma of the testis had significantly elevated concentrations.