[Antipyrine metabolism in lung cancer patients].

In order to assess the activity of enzymatic metabolism of oncogenic benzo (a) pyrenes the half life of antipyrine was calculated in 60 lung cancer patients and 75 healthy volunteers without known familial malignancy. It was found that antipyrine activity was significantly higher in lung cancer patients than in healthy volunteers, after taking in account sex, age and smoking habits. Antipyrine half life was significantly higher in adenocarcinoma in comparison with other types of cancer. Metabolism of antipyrine was also higher in advanced cases of lung cancer. A relation between higher metabolism and lower age onset of lung cancer was not demonstrated.