Enzymes in peripheral and bone marrow serum in patients with cancer.

Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), and acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in bone marrow and in cubital vein serum were compared. For patients without cancer, marrow serum LDH attained levels four times as high, and GOT and alkaline phosphatase, levels twice as high as those normal for cubital vein serum; levels of acid phosphatase were the same for both sources. For patients with cancer, significant increase of enzyme levels over reference levels depends on the tumor origin and on the presence and localization of metastases. Marrow enzyme levels may become elevated with or without concurrent elevation in cubital vein serum. Concurrent elevations were found with colonic carcinoma and lymphoid leukemia, and noncurrent elevations, with prostatic cancer, myeloid leukemia, and myeloma. A nonconcurrent elevation of marrow enzymes indicates that the origin of the enzyme is in the marrow, whereas with concurrent elevation, the source of the enzyme may be another organ.