[Usefulness of postoperative assay of arginase activity in blood serum of women after breast cancer resection].

The usefulness of arginase test was evaluated in follow-up of patients after breast cancer resection. The arginase activity was measured in blood serum of 970 patients from January 1996 to December 2000. The arginase activity above the normal value was detected in serum of 539 (55.6%) women. Only 197 (20%) patients demonstrated metastases and recurrence (true positive), 342 (35%) patients were disease free. The normal value of arginase activity was found in blood serum of 431 (44.4%) patients, 360 (36%) of them showed complete remission, whereas 71 (8%) demonstrated recurrence or metastases (false negative). Sensitivity of arginase test in post-surgery diagnostics of breast cancer was 73%. Measuring of arginase activity in blood serum of patients after breast cancer resection may be useful as an additional test confirming the disease dissemination.