Serum gangliosides in cerebral astrocytoma

✍ Scribed by Hsiao S. Lo; Edward L. Hogan; Daniel A. Koontz; T. Dennis Traylor

• Book ID: 101463166
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 464 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0364-5134
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.410080511

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The serum concentration and composition of gangliosides were examined in 80 humans including 10 normal subjects. A significant increase was found in the total gangliosides of serum in 7 patients with cerebral astrocytomas. There was also an increased percentage of serum gangliosides with simpler structure, particularly GM~3~. The serum of patients with other intracranial tumors, including pituitary adenomas, ependymoma, teratoma, and metastases, did not show an increase in total ganglioside; however the pattern of simplification was found in these and in a few patients with extracranial tumors as well. The findings suggest that astrocytoma tumors shed sialoglycolipids into the circulation, and their assay may be useful in monitoring oncological therapy.