Lymphocyte urosynthase in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. An indicator of disease extensiveness

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Abstract
The activity of lymphocyte uroporphyrinogen synthase (URO-S) was examined in 51 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients at various follow-up periods. Mean ± SD activity (pmol prophyrin/mg protein/hr) at diagnosis (n = 24), on relapse (n = 14) and during active disease (n = 14) were 31.7 ± 19.8, 31.7 ± 27.2 and 29.4 ± 18.5, respectively. These values were significantly higher than the enzyme activity during remission (14.1 ± 4.0), which was in the normal range (14.5 ± 3.8). Abnormally high activity was found in 65.4% of determinations at diagnosis, on relapse and during active disease, compared to 5.5% during remission (P < 0.001). Significant association of abnormal URO-S activity was found with advanced clinical stage (P < 0.01), spleen enlargement (P = 0.048), involvement of bone marrow (P = 0.02), as well as lymphoma cell spread to peripheral blood (P = 0.03). Highly significant correlation (r = 0.65, P < 0.001) was found between URO-S activity and serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Excessively high levels of URO-S activity were found only in patients with lymphoma cells in peripheral blood. No association was found with histopathologic classification and liver size. The authors conclude that URO-S activity is a biochemical indicator for patients in all stages of NHL and seems to be a specific marker for the extensiveness of the disease. Cancer 59:89–93, 1987.