Plasma N-acetyl-glucosaminidase in advanced gastro-intestinal adenocarcinoma correlates with age, stage and outcome

Abstract

ABSTRACT  Background: N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) is a potential marker of genotoxicity. We retrospectively analyzed plasma NAG and clinico-pathologic features in advanced gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: Plasma from 118 patients and 51 healthy volunteers was analyzed for associations between NAG levels and age, disease presence, stage, treatment responses and survival. Results: Pretreatment NAG correlated with age but was independently increased in metastatic versus locally advanced disease, particularly in gastric/esophageal patients. NAG was also associated with reduced overall survival. In subgroup analysis, increased NAG activity between day 1 and 2 of chemotherapy cycle 1 correlated with treatment response. Conclusion: We demonstrated that NAG correlates with gastrointestinal cancer outcomes. Further studies are required to determine if plasma markers of genotoxicity can be useful for disease monitoring.