Serum lactate dehydrogenase as prognostic marker in breast carcinoma

Objectives: To observe levels of LDH levels for prognosis of breast cancer in breast carcinoma patients and in controls. Methods: Fifty breast carcinoma patients were studied with regard to its clinical, histopathological and therapeutic modalities to that of the prognosis of the disease indicated by serum lactate dehydrogenase, liberated by aerobic respiration of cancer cells and were followed up for a period of eighteen months. Results: This study also shows that lactate dehydrogenase levels decrease following treatment showing that the tumor is the cause of lactate dehydrogenase production in carcinoma breast patients, the pre treatment lactate dehydrogenase levels were seen to decrease with significance of the study showing p value to be <0.001 and the level of lactate dehydrogenase was found to be raised across the stages of carcinoma breast. In the present study lactate dehydrogenase is shown to indicate survival in breast carcinoma patients (p value <0.003). Conclusion: Lactate dehydrogenase proves to be a prognostic marker in carcinoma breast that is simple, cheap and easily available.