Abstract
Changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isozymes and the mechanism of their elevation in the serum of postoperative cancer patients were investigated.
This study involved 35 operative cases of stomach and colorectal cancer. These patients were subjected to measurement of LDH isozyme pattern at 6-hour intervals during the preoperative period and for an initial postoperative period from the time of their return to the recovery ward through the first postoperative day as well as once daily on the third, fifth, seventh and 14th postoperative days and finally one month after operation. Immediately after operation a marked transient elevation of both serum LDH and LDH 4 and 5 was generally noted, peak levels was observed at the time of return to the recovery ward. The Subsequent fall in enzyme levels was slower in stage I, II and III than in stage IV stomach cancer cases.
It was assumed that increased activities in serum of LDH and LDH 5 in postoperative stage IV or more advanced cases of stomach and colorectal cancers were primarily due to cancer cell while those in stage I, II and III cases were principally due to liver cell deviation.
