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Prognostic Value of Serum Lactic Dehydrogenase in Non‐Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Author(s) -
Hagberg H.,
Siegbahn A.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1983.tb02136.x
Subject(s) - lymphoma , gastroenterology , lactate dehydrogenase , medicine , histopathology , lactic dehydrogenase , non hodgkin's lymphoma , malignancy , pathology , enzyme , biology , biochemistry
Lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) is a glycolytic enzyme that may be elevated in the serum of patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). In this investigation LDH was assayed in sera from 155 untreated patients with NHL. Serum LDH (S‐LDH) was found to be significantly correlated both to the spread of the disease and to the histological grade of malignancy i.e. more advanced disease or more aggressive histopathology was associated with higher S‐LDH values. A high pretreatment S‐LDH level (> 8.0 μkat/l) in stages III and IV correlated significantly to a decreased survival time. The patients with a pretreatment level of < 8.0 μkat/l had an actuarial 2‐year survival of 80%, compared to 30% in the patients with levels > 8.0 μkat/l ( P < 0.001). In stages I and II all 6 patients with a high pretreatment level (> 8.0 μkat/l) relapsed during or a short time after radiotherapy. In a longitudinal study of 24 patients it was found that S‐LDH reflected in the clinical course. In patients treated to partial or complete remission, S‐LDH decreased and at relapse it rose again. It is concluded that S‐LDH might be useful both as a prognostic marker and to monitor the course of the disease.