The clinical usefulness of serum copper determinations in Hodgkin's disease. A retrospective study of 241 patients from 1963-1973.

Serum copper determinations were routinely performed in 141 men and 100 women with histologically verified Hodgkin's disease, admitted to the Radium Centre for Jutland over a 10-year-period from January 1, 1963, to January 1, 1973. The previously described variations in serum copper with the activity of the disease, increasing with progression and decreasing with improvement, were amply substantiated. Furthermore, the present study showed that the serum copper value at the first admission, before treatment, is statistically significantly correlated to the stage of the disease and consequently probably to the amount of tumor tissue. In men there was also a statistically significant correlation of se Cu to the histologic grade of the bioptic material (classification according to Lukes 1966). In women the correlation was blurred by the effect on serum copper of estrogen, mainly from contraceptive pills and pregnancy. The serum copper is regularly reduced to within normal limits at complete remission; thus, it is proposed that this parameter be included in the criteria for complete remission.