Serum esterase activity during the surgical therapy of bronchogenic carcinoma.

Serum esterase activity was estimated in 148 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and in 19 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis before operation, 1 week and 3 weeks after operation. We failed to prove significant differences between the patients with malignant and nonmalignant lung diseases. We failed also to prove significant differences between the mean esterase activity findings regarding to the extent of surgery. They were identical even of the performed thoracotomy was radical, palliative or explorative. The course of changes in esterase activity findings is quite individual. From the esterase activity we cannot conclude, if the tumor tissue was completely removed or not.