Use of FDP and F1P aldolase to detect tumorous and nontumorous tissue damage by ethanol injection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Changes in serum levels of tumor-specific fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) aldolase and nontumor-specific fructose 1-phosphate (F1P) aldolase activities were analyzed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to detect the damage of tumorous and nontumorous hepatic cells after percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI). Initial PEI was performed in 20 patients containing 22 HCC nodules with a diameter of < or = 4 cm. Changes in serum hepatic enzyme activities were measured before and after repeated PEI. FDP and F1P aldolase levels were measured by substrate-specific enzymatic methods. Pre- and posttreatment alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. The consequent changes in the total nontumorous liver volumes after PEI were also analyzed by follow-up CT scans. Serum levels of FDP aldolase released by ethanol injection were progressively increased (P < 0.0001) until the third PEI and thereafter decreased. In contrast, serum levels of F1P aldolase were continuously elevated even after the third PEI (P < 0.0001). Serum levels of transaminases were also elevated after repeated PEI (P < 0.0001). The FDP/FIP aldolase ratio decreased significantly with increased volume (>20 ml) of injected ethanol (P = 0.01) caused by nontumorous liver damage. The elevation of FDP aldolase was markedly associated with a decrease in serum levels of AFP (P < 0.001), indicating adequate tumor necrosis. The progression of the total nontumor liver atrophy depended on the volume of injected ethanol and correlated significantly with F1P aldolase levels after PEI (P < 0.01) but not with FDP aldolase. These results demonstrated that caution is needed to avoid nontumorous liver damage caused by the large volume of ethanol injection in treating HCC. Measurement of FDP and F1P aldolase activities in serum after PEI is clinically useful to detect the degree of tumorous and nontumorous tissue damage by ethanol.