Measurement of serum tumor type M2-pyruvate kinase in patients with gastric cancer before and after operation

Objective: To determine the serum levels of tumor type M2-pyruvate kinase (tumor M2-PK) in patients with gastric cancer before and after operation, and to elucidate the relation of their levels with clinical characteristics. Methods: The serum tumor M2-PK levels were measured through the quantitative sandwich ELISA in 58 gastric cancer patients, and 16 in-patients with cholecystectomy before and after operation. Results: The preoperative serum tumor M2-PK levels in patients with gastric cancer were significant higher than those in the controls (P<0.05). After the operation they decreased dramatically. But the levels in patients with unresectable tumor did not changed significantly. The bigger tumors (≥5 cm) had significant higher levels than smaller ones (<5 cm) (P<0.05). The levels of stage III and stage IV were significantly higher than that in the stage I and stage II (P<0.01). No significant difference could be found in different tumor invasive depth, lymph node metastasis and histological types. Conclusion: The levels of tumor M2-PK may reflect the size and stage of tumor. And it changes significantly if the tumor could be resected. It may be a promising diagnostic aid for gastric cancer. (authors)