"Lactate Dehydrogenase a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Cancer: A Review of Literature"

Abstract

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) is a key enzyme in the anaerobic metabolic process. It belongs to the oxidoreductase family. In biological systems, LDH is a carbohydrate metabolism enzyme that catalyses the interconversion of lactate and pyruvate with the NAD+/NADH coenzyme system. It's a cytoplasmic enzyme found in almost all tissues, but especially in muscle, liver, and kidney, as well as in moderate amounts in red blood cells. However, under pathological circumstances, such as cancer, the level of LDH in the blood rises, making it a possible cancer biomarker. Recently, blood LDH levels were shown to be routinely elevated in cancer patients and linked to poor clinical outcome and medication resistance. Therefore, LDH determination became a routine supportive tool in diagnosing tumours or monitoring the effects of cancer treatment. In this review paper, we have summarized an overview of about LDH enzyme, its catalytic property, functions, pathophysiology and its role as a cancer biomarker.

Prognostic significance of lactate dehydrogenase and its impact on the outcomes of gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Patients with high LDH levels may require more aggressive treatments, such as chemotherapy or targeted therapy, to improve their survival outcomes ( 11 , 22 ). Secondly, LDH can be regarded as a potential biomarker to monitor response to intervention and disease progression ( 34 ). A decrease in LDH levels after treatment may indicate a favourable response and a reduced risk of disease recurrence ( 35 ).…”