Correlation of level of gangliosides in plasma with cancer in human patients.

Levels of gangliosides in the plasma of human patients with cancers of the breast, cheek, oesophagus, rectum, penis, bladder and skin, as analysed by thin layer chromatography and quantitative densitometric scanning, were found to increase many fold (ranging from 3.5 to 5.96 folds), compared to that of normal individuals. The ganglioside levels in the plasma of patients with benign tumors were comparable to that of normal individuals, thus suggesting correlation between increased ganglioside levels in the plasma and malignant growth in cancer patients. These increased levels of gangliosides in the plasma of Ca-breast, Ca-cheek and Ca-penis gradually increased with the advancement of the disease and showed some correlation with the increase in stage of the disease. The levels of gangliosides in the plasma of patients with Ca-breast and Ca-cheek were found to decrease significantly after surgical removal of the primary cancerous growth. The results indicated diagnostic as well as prognostic significance of plasma ganglioside levels in human cancers.