RELATION BETWEEN VOLUME OF LIVER METASTAS ES AND CLINICAL CHEMICAL-PARAMETERS

Volumes of liver metastases were calculated by means of CAT scan in 58 strongly selected patients and were correlated with some liver functi on tests and CEA. In case of liver metastases gammaGT was the most sen sitive enzyme. The number as well as the level of pathological gammaGT values increased with the increase of tumor volume: Above 26 ml showe d 75%, above 50 ml all values elevated levels. Volumes above 100 ml we re associated with increased gammaGT values more than double the upper normal limits. A similar behaviour was found for AP and LDH, although their values were elevated only at higher volumes of the metastases ( above 100 ml: AP 85.9% and LDH 80.8%). GOT and GPT were less sensitive enzymes in detecting liver metastases. GOT values were only increased if the tumor volume exceeded 401 ml, whereas GPT still showed 50% nor mal values. There were no significant correlations between the tumor v olumes and serum concentration of albumin, prothrombin time, and total bilirubin. CEA is highly sensitive in metastatic tumors originating f rom the gastrointestinal tract without any obvious dependence on tumor volume. Clinical chemistry was most sensitive in two patients with li ver metastases of sarcomas. In both cases 9 of 10 values were within t he normal limits in contrast to the patients with other primary tumors investigated in this study.