The invention, relating to the technical field of medicine, relates to a method for detecting the activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, that is, a quantitative technique of analyzing SSAT activity through detecting acetylated metabolites of the SSAT substrate. According to the invention, the N-acetylation is regulated mainly through or only through SSAT in SSAT pathway and the specific substrate in the N-acetylation regulation is L-dopa, partial metabolism of the substrate can generate an acetylated metabolite N-acetyl-L-dopa thought the introduction of SSAT, the SSAT upregulation is positively correlated with cancer, accordingly, L-dopa can be used as a cancer mark regulated by the SSAT upregulation, and a novel detection method is provided for early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment and the like of tumors. The method has the advantages of safely, efficiency, strong practicality, convenient and fast operating method, simple usage, high positive incidence, and remarkable effect, and can be used as an auxiliary means for preventing, diagnosing, detecting, protecting, treating and studying various tumors.