Serum Enzymatic Activities in Gastric Cancer

Abstract

The Serum enzymatic activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G 6 P), phosphohexoseisomerase (PHI), aldolase (ALD), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), malic dehydrogenase (MDH), GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), and cholinesterase (ChE) were studied in 20 cases of gastric cancer with the following results:
1) The cases studied generally showed the most marked increase of PHI, followed by LDH, ALD, G6P, MDH, ALP, ACP in descending order.
2) The abnormalities in serum enzymatic activities in cases without liver metastasis were 94% for PHI,77.5% for LDH,72.5% for MDH,35% for ALD,19% for G 6 P and 18% for ALP. Those in cases with liver metastasis were 100% for PHI, LDH and MDH,66% for GOT,33% for G 6 P, ALD and ChE. Cases with liver metastasis showed a marked increase in serum enzymatic activities, especially transaminase and ALP. A positive correlation in enzymatic activities was found between LDH and PHI, LDH and ALD, PHI and GOT.
3) The clinical improvement following gastrectomy and/or anticarcinogenic drugs resulted in a decrease of LDH, ALD and a trend of decrease of PHI. Following administration of Mitomycin a case with liver metastasis showed a decrease in LDH, ALD, PHI, GOT, GPT and ACP being accompanied by a decrease in the size of liver tumor.
4) An increase of serum enzymatic activities in cases of gastric cancers was in a medium degree when companied with cases of liver, esophageal, colon, pulmonary and uterine cancers, the highest degree being found in cases of liver cancer and the lowest degree in cases of cancer of the colon.
The above results lead to a suggestion that determination of serum enzymatic activities of glycolytic enzymes and transaminase affords a considerable aid in estimating the size, metastasis, therapeutic effect and prognosis of malignant tumors. This approach seems. useful as a supplementary means of the diagnosis of gastric cancer.