Zakrzewska I, Pietryńczak M
Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Academy of Białystok.
Rocz Akad Med Bialymst. 1996;41(2):492-8.
The activities of alpha-amylase and its salivary isoenzymes were evaluated in serum and urine of 59 patients with ovary cancer, 10 women with endometrial carcinoma, 30 patients with cervical carcinoma and 20 women with other (nonmalignant) diseases of females reproductive system. An increased activity of alpha-amylase in serum was found in 39% of patients with ovarium carcinoma and in 23% of patients with cervical carcinoma. The activity of salivary alpha-amylase in serum was elevated in 89% of patients with ovary carcinoma and in 63% of patients with cervical carcinoma and in 20% of patients with endometrial carcinoma. Serum and urine of women with nonneoplastic diseases of reproductive system demonstrates normal values of salivary alpha-amylase activity. These observations allow to conclude that the assay of salivary alpha-amylase may be useful as an additional index in diagnostics of ovary and cervical carcinomas.