Activities of serum acid ribonuclease in patients with malignant neoplasms or with renal failure.

The activities of serum acid ribonuclease (RNase) were determined in patients with malignant neoplasm or with renal failure. The levels were markedly increased in myelogenous leukemia and renal failure, and only slightly increased in solid cancers, lymphoid malignancies and multiple myeloma. These increases correlated significantly with serum LDH activity in myelogenous leukemia and with creatinine levels in other malignancies or renal failure. The acid RNase content of granulocytes was 22.7-fold higher than that of lymphocytes. The increase of serum acid RNase may suggest an increased granulocyte destruction in myelogenous leukemia and a reduced glomerular filtration in other malignant neoplasms and renal failure.