Hydrolytic enzymes in normal and neoplastic human bladder tissue.

The value of hydrolytic enzymes in 29 specimens of human bladder cancer has been assessed. Acid and alkaline phosphatases, gamma-glutamyl transferase, arylsulphatases and lactate dehydrogenase were estimated in human bladder tumours and adjacent non-malignant tissue. Elevated enzyme levels were observed in the tumours rather than in the non-malignant tissue, except for adenocarcinoma. These increased levels were also noted in bilharzial bladder carcinoma but not in lymph node metastasis. Increased enzyme activity could be due to over-production by the tumour cells. It was concluded that the increase was associated primarily with the presence of tumours and the assay of these enzymes in biopsy specimens may have significant diagnostic and therapeutic implications.