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Increased Polyamine Concentrations in the Urine of Human Cancer Patients

Abstract

WE have found that patients with various types of solid tumours and leukaemias have considerably increased concentrations of the polyamines such as putrescine (diaminobutane), spermidine and spermine in their urine. Polyamines are small cationic substances, which occur ubiquitously in nature1. Because enhanced polyamine synthesis and accumulation are characteristic of rapid growth systems2–6 it seemed possible that they might serve as indicators of rapidly proliferating tumours.

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RUSSELL, D. Increased Polyamine Concentrations in the Urine of Human Cancer Patients. Nature New Biology 233, 144–145 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio233144a0

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