Significance of serum fucose, sialic acid, haptoglobine and phospholipids levels in the evolution and treatment of breast cancer.

Serum fucose, sialic acid, haptoglobine and phospholipids were determined in 167 women with breast cancer stages I--III, 30 with benign lesions of the breast, 42 women in various physiological states of the mammary gland (pregnancy, early childbed and lactation) and compared with 30 healthy women as control. Serial determinations of these parameters during the radio-surgical treatment were done in 28 patients with breast cancer stage III. Fucose and phospholipids levels were significantly increased respectively decreased in the group of patients with breast cancers but unmodified in the others. Sialic acid and haptoglobine -- increased in patients with cancer -- were also elevated in patients with early childbed and benign affections of the breast. The surveillance of these four parameters during the radio-surgical treatment of breast cancer evidenced a good correlation between their modified levels and clinical state of the patients. The increase in fucose, sialic acid and haptoglobine respectively the decrease in phospholipids levels was associated with the clinical evidence of recurrences and metastases.