SERUM PLACENTAL-TYPE ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Serum placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP)-type immunoreactivity was measured in 190 women with epithelial ovarian malignancy, 27 women wit h borderline ovarian cancer and 334 control subjects with non-neoplast ic or benign gynaecological disease. Smoking, ABO blood group and meno pausal status affect serum concentrations of PLAP and results were cor rected for these. Circulating levels were elevated in patients with ca ncer and increased with stage. Levels were unaltered in borderline ova rian disease. Two-year stage corrected survival analysis demonstrated a significant worsening of prognosis in patients with serum PLAP-type levels greater than the 100th centile for controls.