Elevated activities of blood group Le gene dependent α(1 → 3)-l-fucosyltransferase in human saliva of Lewis negative patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

Levels of α(1 → 3)-l-fucosyltransferase activities were measured in salivas of patients with ovarian cancer. GDP-l-Fuc : GlcNAc α(1 → 3)-fucosyltransferase was found elevated in patients known to have epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of their ABH and Lewis blood group phenotypes. GDP-l-Fuc : Glc α(1 → 3)-fucosyltransferase was also elevated in both Lewis positive and negative patients, although the enzyme activity was very low or absent in Lewis negative healthy controls.