Diagnostic value of high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase in detection of hepatic metastasis in...

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42 ment of Haematology, East Birmingham Hospi- tal, Birmingham B9 5ST, U.K. Eur. J. Cancer Clin. Oncol. 22: 831-835, 1986. Serum ferritin levels were measured before treatment, using an im~noradiometric method, in 39 patients with small cell lung cancer. In ii patients serial estimations were also made. The medium serum ferritin level for male patients was 666 mug/l (range 13-1329) and for females 306 (range 134- 5300), the normal range being 32-501. This increase is significant (P < 0.001). Serum ferritin levels were not related to metas- tatic, haematological or iron status. Serial ferritin levels did not reflect the clinical course of the disease. Patients with a pre- treatment serum ferritin of <600 mug/l had a significant prolongation of median survival compared to those with an initial serum fer- ritin of > 600 mug/l (P < 0.02). Serum fer- ritin levels are not of value in staging small cell lung cancer nor in monitoring its progress. However, the initial serum fer- ritin is of prognostic significance. Diagnostic Value of High Molecular Weight Alkaline Phosphatase in Detection of Hepatic Metastasis in Patients with Lung Cancer. Nishio, H., Sakuma, T., Nakamura, S.-I. et al. Department of Lung Cancer, The Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka 537, Japan. Cancer 57: 1815-1819, 1986. High molecular weight alkaline phos- phatase (HMW-ALP) was measured in the sera of 126 patients with lung cancer to deter- mine its diagnostic value in the detection of hepatic metastasis. This isoenzyme was found in 21 of 24 patients with hepatic metastasis and in 27 of 102 patients without hepatic metastasis. When i0 U/L was used as a cut-off value, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of this test were 71%, 89%, and 86%, respectively. From the standpoint of histologic type, this test was most useful in patients with small cell car- cinoma. HMW-ALP was not detected in the sera of 15 controls. It is concluded that HMW-ALP is a useful marker for hepatic metastasis in patients with lung cancer. Plasma Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Ac- tivity in Patients with Bronchial Carcinoma. Roulston, J.E., Galloway, P.J., Douglas, J.G. University Department of Clinical Chemistry, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, U.K. Br. J. Dis. Chest 80: 229- 234, 1986. Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activities were measured in 58 con- secutive patients presenting with bronchial carcinoma. The mean ACE activity before treatment was significantly lower than that of a control population (P < 0.005). There was a significant and direct relationship between the initial plasma ACE activity and survival time (P < 0.01) which could not be explained by further analysis for age, clinical staging, or respiratory function, as judged by 9~EV. There was a significant increase in plasma ACE activity (P < 0.03) in nine patients with three or more plasma samples after treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. These results suggest that low plasma ACE activity is associated with poor prognosis in bronchial carcinoma. Bronchogenic Carcinoma Associated with Upper Aerodigestive Cancers. Yellin, A., Hill, L.R., Benfield, J.R. Department of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, U.S.A.J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 91: 674- 683, 1986. Of 1,450 patients with upper airway cancers, 189 (13%) had additional cancers. There were 60 cases in which lung cancer oc- curred after upper airway cancer and a single case in which it preceded upper air- way cancer. The occurrence of upper airway plus lung cancer in 61 patients was referred to as multiple airway cancers. The overall incidence of multiple airway cancers was 4.1% or 1:112 patient-years at risk. The highest incidence of lung cancer was 1:70 patients-years, and this was associated with laryngeal cancer. The mean diagnostic inter- val between upper airway and lung cancers was 6.1 (0 to 23) years, including nine cases (14.8%) in which the two were synchronous. Triple endoscopy revealed oc- cult lung cancer only once. The use of mediastinoscopy (n = 9) and other surgical staging procedures (n = 9) was limited, be- cause previous treatment of upper airway cancers made such procedures impractical and also because interpretation of findings would have been difficult. Past reports have indicated that lung cancer in association with upper airway cancer is almost in- variably squamous cell and almost always develops in men. By contrast, among our 61 patients, the incidence of adenocarcinomas was 24%, and 16 patients or 26% were women. Among patients whose records could be

Transcript of Diagnostic value of high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase in detection of hepatic metastasis in...

Page 1: Diagnostic value of high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase in detection of hepatic metastasis in patients with lung cancer

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ment of Haematology, East Birmingham Hospi-

tal, Birmingham B9 5ST, U.K. Eur. J. Cancer

Clin. Oncol. 22: 831-835, 1986.

Serum ferritin levels were measured

before treatment, using an im~noradiometric

method, in 39 patients with small cell lung

cancer. In ii patients serial estimations

were also made. The medium serum ferritin

level for male patients was 666 mug/l (range

13-1329) and for females 306 (range 134-

5300), the normal range being 32-501. This

increase is significant (P < 0.001). Serum

ferritin levels were not related to metas-

tatic, haematological or iron status. Serial

ferritin levels did not reflect the clinical

course of the disease. Patients with a pre-

treatment serum ferritin of <600 mug/l had a

significant prolongation of median survival

compared to those with an initial serum fer-

ritin of > 600 mug/l (P < 0.02). Serum fer-

ritin levels are not of value in staging

small cell lung cancer nor in monitoring its

progress. However, the initial serum fer-

ritin is of prognostic significance.

Diagnostic Value of High Molecular Weight

Alkaline Phosphatase in Detection of Hepatic

Metastasis in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Nishio, H., Sakuma, T., Nakamura, S.-I. et

al. Department of Lung Cancer, The Center

for Adult Diseases, Osaka 537, Japan. Cancer

57: 1815-1819, 1986.

High molecular weight alkaline phos-

phatase (HMW-ALP) was measured in the sera

of 126 patients with lung cancer to deter-

mine its diagnostic value in the detection

of hepatic metastasis. This isoenzyme was

found in 21 of 24 patients with hepatic

metastasis and in 27 of 102 patients without

hepatic metastasis. When i0 U/L was used as

a cut-off value, the sensitivity,

specificity, and accuracy of this test were

71%, 89%, and 86%, respectively. From the

standpoint of histologic type, this test was

most useful in patients with small cell car-

cinoma. HMW-ALP was not detected in the sera

of 15 controls. It is concluded that HMW-ALP

is a useful marker for hepatic metastasis in

patients with lung cancer.

Plasma Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Ac-

tivity in Patients with Bronchial Carcinoma.

Roulston, J.E., Galloway, P.J., Douglas,

J.G. University Department of Clinical

Chemistry, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh,

Edinburgh, U.K. Br. J. Dis. Chest 80: 229-

234, 1986.

Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme

(ACE) activities were measured in 58 con-

secutive patients presenting with bronchial

carcinoma. The mean ACE activity before

treatment was significantly lower than that

of a control population (P < 0.005). There

was a significant and direct relationship

between the initial plasma ACE activity and

survival time (P < 0.01) which could not be

explained by further analysis for age,

clinical staging, or respiratory function,

as judged by 9~EV. There was a significant

increase in plasma ACE activity (P < 0.03)

in nine patients with three or more plasma

samples after treatment with chemotherapy or

radiotherapy. These results suggest that low

plasma ACE activity is associated with poor

prognosis in bronchial carcinoma.

Bronchogenic Carcinoma Associated with Upper

Aerodigestive Cancers.

Yellin, A., Hill, L.R., Benfield, J.R.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope

National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010,

U.S.A.J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 91: 674-

683, 1986.

Of 1,450 patients with upper airway

cancers, 189 (13%) had additional cancers.

There were 60 cases in which lung cancer oc-

curred after upper airway cancer and a

single case in which it preceded upper air-

way cancer. The occurrence of upper airway

plus lung cancer in 61 patients was referred

to as multiple airway cancers. The overall

incidence of multiple airway cancers was

4.1% or 1:112 patient-years at risk. The

highest incidence of lung cancer was 1:70

patients-years, and this was associated with

laryngeal cancer. The mean diagnostic inter-

val between upper airway and lung cancers

was 6.1 (0 to 23) years, including nine

cases (14.8%) in which the two were

synchronous. Triple endoscopy revealed oc-

cult lung cancer only once. The use of

mediastinoscopy (n = 9) and other surgical

staging procedures (n = 9) was limited, be-

cause previous treatment of upper airway

cancers made such procedures impractical and

also because interpretation of findings

would have been difficult. Past reports have

indicated that lung cancer in association

with upper airway cancer is almost in-

variably squamous cell and almost always

develops in men. By contrast, among our 61

patients, the incidence of adenocarcinomas

was 24%, and 16 patients or 26% were women.

Among patients whose records could be