Diagnostic and prognostic significance of serum cholinesterase and lactate dehydrogenase in breast cancer.

Serum cholinesterase (ChE) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were estimated in 40 cases of carcinoma breast, 25 cases of benign tumours and compared with healthy controls (30 cases). Significant difference in enzyme activities were obtained between benign and malignant neoplasms of the breast when compared with each other as well as when compared with healthy controls. Also, there were significant enzyme changes between non-metastatic cases and those with metastasis and when Stage I and Stage II cancers were compared with those in Stage III and Stage IV. No difference in enzyme levels were recorded between pre and post-operative cases and in different types of breast cancers. While ChE was depressed in 80 per cent cases of malignancy breast, serum LDH was raised in 73.3 per cent cases.