Individual changes of DNA catabolite excretion in the course of antitumor therapy of Hodgkin's disease

In patients with morbus Hodgkin, treated primarily by the actino- and chemotherapy, the excretion was followed of DNA catabolites (deoxycytidine, deoxyuridine, thymidine and their sum) in the course of the therapy. The dynamics was studied of changes in the time interval of interest and attention was paid to its relation to the clinical and histological type of disease and to the successful character of the therapy defined by reaching a complete remission. The group of patient as a whole was characterized by an increased excretion of catabolites in the time interval of interest. No dependence was demonstrated between the catabolite excretion and extent of the disease similarly as between the excretion and successful character of the therapy. The dynamics of the changes in the time intervals of interest was neither remarkbly nor continuously increased or decreased. The test of the excretion of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides possesses sufficient sensitivity for demonstrationg laws in relation to the therapy during group evaluation. With respect to individual variability of values of particular patients and to the absence of the relations mentioned above the test is not suitable to indicate the individual response to the anticancer therapy. (orig.)