Alfa-antitrypsin increase in lung cancer.

The Authors controlled the content of A1AT in the sera of 100 patients with L.Ca. As controls there were examined: 20 cases of metastatic neoplasm of the lung, 5 cases of systemic sarcomatosis, 10 cases of acute bacterial bronchopneumonia, 4 cases of bronchiectasis and emphysema. Moreover, the levels of A1AT was studied in 15 pl.fl., neoplastic and not, in comparison with the levels of the sera. None of the controls demonstrated an increase in A1AT, excepting the cases of acute bronchopneumonia, in which the levels were very high but only for a few days. The results indicate that in more than 90% of the L.Ca. the level of the A1AT is significantly higher than in the sera of the controls, with possible variations during the disease. There is a clear trend towards increase parallel with the worsening of the condition of the patients. A course of chemotherapy may bring down the levels, proportionally to the length and intensity of the treatment. After discontinuance, the level increases again more or less quickly, reaching the previous values.