[Assay of urine cysteine proteinase in diagnosing gynecological malignant tumors].

Cysteine proteinases (CP) belong to the subclass of endopeptidase, and have been considered to play an important role in spreading cancer cells. Cysteine proteinases in urine (UCP) were determined in 71 healthy women, 76 patients with gynecological benign tumors and 125 cases (173 samples) with gynecological malignant tumors. Enzyme levels were assayed using the artificial substrate CSZ-Ala-Arg-AFC by detecting the release of free AFC with the aid of a fluorometer. The value ranged from upper 80% to 99% of UCP in 71 normal women and was calculated with the percentile method. The results showed that ROC curve displayed a highly sensitive character. The sensitivity and specificity for gynecological malignant tumor were 91.8%, and 71.7% respectively. The sensitivities of UCP for ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, carcinoma of endometrium and cancer of vulva were 96%, 91%, 85.7% and 72.7% respectively. Due to its high sensitivity. It was suggested that UCP assay can be a good screening test to distinguish gynecological malignancy from benign tumors. The accuracy of diagnosing gynecological malignancy may be improved if UCP assay is combined with other tests with higher specificity.