The diagnostic value of membrane
glycolipid biochemistry index, the
lipid-bound
sialic acid (LSA) and total
sialic acid (
TSA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was evaluated in 30 intracranial and 65 gastrointestinal
tumors. The plasma LSA,
TSA and red cell membrane
sialic acid (R-SA) in were determined according to the method of Sevenmerhulm. Our results showed that the levels of LSA and
TSA in CSF of intracranial
tumor patients was higher than that of normal group(p<0.01). The concentration of
TSA and LSA in patients with
malignant glioma was higher than that of benign
meningioma patients(P<0.01). No significance was found between intracranial halmatoma patients and normal control group for levels of membrane
glycolipids (p>0.05). Results also found that the plasma LSA,
TSA and R-SA of gastric
carcinoma were significantly higher than those of control group (p<0.05); while no significant difference was found in the plasma LSA,
TSA and R-SA levels between chronic
gastritis, gastrohelcoma and normal control group (p>0.05). Plasma LSA,
TSA and R-SA levels of gastric
carcinoma patient were significantly higher than those of chronic
gastritis patients and gastrohelcoma patients(p<0.05). It was also found that plasma LSA,
TSA and R-SA contents were significantly higher in large intestine
carcinoma patients than in benign in stestine
tumor patients (p<0.05) while no significant difference was found between intestine benign
tumor and normal control group (p>0.05). The levels of LSA,
TSA and R-SA were obviously higher in the patients with
metastasis than in the ones without (p<0.05.) The membrane
glycolipid biochemistry index LSA and
TSA in CSF are sensive markers for diagnosing intracranial
tumors. For gastrointestinal malignant
tumors the plasma LSA
TSA and red blood cell membrane SA may be considered as auxiliary indicators for diagnosis. They can be used for distinguishing benign from malignant
tumors.