Enzymes, lymph node involvement and possible prognosis in human breast cancer.

The activities of seven enzymes associated with carbohydrate metabolism were measured in tumours from patients with primary carcinomas and the results were analysed in three different ways, i.e. according to tissue weight and enzyme/6PGDH and enzyme/PFK ratios. The tumours were then grouped together according to the number of nodes found to contain metastases and the following significant differences were observed. 1. Significantly lower activity of α-GPDH was observed in tumours from patients in whom four or more lymph nodes were found to contain metastatic deposits than in those with no nodal involvement. 2. Enzyme/6PGDH and enzyme/PFK ratios were significantly lower in tumours from patients with four or more nodes involved than in those with no nodal involvement. Possible prognostic significance of these enzymes is discussed.