Effect of Chemotherapy on Serum Lactate Levels in Malignant Neoplasia

Abstract

Objective: The present study was designed to look at the levels of serum lactate in various malignancies and to 
observe the effect of chemotherapy on serum lactate concentration in malignant neoplasia as a whole. The study was 
also intended to look for the difference, if any, in this effect for haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic neoplasias, 
so as to see whether evaluation of lactate levels could represent an additional and useful parameter in determining 
the clinical and prognostic aspect of the disease.  
Study Design: Observational and comparative study.  
Place of Study: This study was conducted at Radiotherapy Department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, 
Karachi 
Materials and Methods: In this study 131 patients of Malignant Neoplasia were taken from the out-door patients in 
which 56 patients of haematopoietic group and 75 patients of non- haematopoietic group. Blood samples of 131 
patients suffering from haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic neoplasia and 20 healthy control subjects were 
collected and analyzed for lactate, pyruvate and the NADH/NAD+ ratio.   
Results: Blood lactate, Pyruvate levels and NADH/NAD+ ratio were significantly higher in all groups of neoplasia 
before chemotherapy when compared with control subjects. The NADH/NAD+ ratio and the levels of blood lactate 
and Pyruvate decreased significantly with chemotherapy in all groups of patients suffering from neoplasia.  
Conclusion: Observation of low levels of these parameters, particularly that of serum lactate, after the course of 
chemotherapy can be used as an indicator of prognosis and also considered helpful in assessing the effectiveness of 
chemotherapy in malignancies.