Adenosine deaminase activity in gastric cancer.

Adenosine deaminase activity, the key enzyme of adenosine inactivation, was studied in slices taken endoscopically from gastric cancer and macroscopically unchanged gastric mucosa surrounding the cancer. The activity of the enzyme was measured in mucosa homogenates by determination of ammonia liberated from substrate. It was found that adenosine deaminase activity in neoplastic lesions did not differ significantly from normal mucosa and that the gastric region studied (antrum, corpus) did not have an impact. A significant difference in enzyme activity was noticed between intestinal and diffuse-type gastric carcinoma (according to Lauren's classification); the intestinal type was characterized by lower adenosine deaminase activity than was the diffuse type. Since the activity of adenosine deaminase in gastric cancer did not exhibit significant differences from normal mucosa the diagnostic value of its determination is of less importance.