Red blood cell polyamines as biochemical markers of supratentorial malignant gliomas.

Data obtained during post-surgical monitoring (2 to 28 months) of 32 histologically confirmed malignant supratentorial glioma patients, are reported here. It was observed that: whatever the grade of malignancy, 100% of the patients whose tumor recurred showed, on at least one occasion, abnormal red blood cell (RBC) spermidine (SPD) (greater than 14 nmoles/8.10(9) RBC) or spermine (SPM) (less than 2 nmoles/8.10(9) RBC) levels. 30% of the patients whose tumor recurred had abnormal RBC polyamine concentrations, one to six months before any other sign of tumor progression. In patients with normal RBC polyamine values, clinical and tomodensitometric indications of tumor progression have to be reconsidered. During individual follow-up, RBC SPD levels of each patient were generally significantly correlated to those of SPM, and the slopes of their straight regression lines (SRL) appeared to be related to the importance of the intracranial cell proliferation. In such conditions we established the regression equation of the group of all recurring patients taken together. We propose a graphic model, including a space corresponding to RBC SPD and SPM levels observed in case of tumor recurrence, which can be utilized routinely in neuro-oncology during the monitoring of post-operative malignant supratentorial glioma patients.