Excretion of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides after radio and chemotherapy in Hodgkin's disease

Excretion of deoxycytidine, deoxyuridine and thymidine was investigated in the urine of patients with malignant disease; Hodgkin's disease was selected due to the homogeneity of the set and because of the possibility of making a statistical evaluation. A distinctly increased excretion of deoxycytidine and thymidine was found in patients with this disease as compared with healthy persons. Excretion of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides was also studied in 92 cases with Hodgkin's disease treated by combined chemo- and radiotherapy. Urine was collected before and on several days during therapy. Statistically highly-significant increases in excretion of all three catabolites studied was observed during the whole period. Excretion of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides was investigated simultaneously in eight patients with various types of malignancy treated by local radiotherapy. Urine was collected before and on several days during irradiation therapy. A statistically significant increase of the catabolites studied was observed in these cases as well. The applicability of the test as an indicator of tumour tissue sensitivity and of successful therapy in oncology is discussed. (author)