Tumour Cell Death: the Probable Cause of Increased Polyamine Levels in Physiological Fluids

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Abstract
The occurrence of extracellular polyamines in Ehrlich ascites tumour‐bearing mice was studied in relation to tumour growth. The concentration of putrescine and spermidine in cell‐free ascites fluid and serum was found to increase significantly with increasing tumour mass. Data is presented which suggest that the observed accumulation of extracellular polyamines is a result of a continuous release from dead or dying tumour cells. This observation is consistent with the notion that extracellular polyamines accumulate during tumour growth and following radio‐ and chemotherapy as a result of tumour cell death, and emphasizes the potential clinical usefulness of the polyamine analysis for evaluating tumor cell kill.