Creatine kinase isoenzymes: biochemical findings after therapeutical embolization of the hepatic artery in two patients with liver metastasis of an islet cell carcinoma or a carcinoid tumor.

An atypical creatine kinase (CK) isoenzyme migrating cathodically to CK-MM in the electrophoresis was observed as response to the embolization of the right hepatic artery in two patients with liver metastasis. The time course of the atypical CK release was compared to that of tumor secretion products, i.e., insulin and 5-hydroxy-in-dol-acetic acid. The CK isoenzyme probably reflects a mitochondrial breakdown of the metastasis in question. The influence of the treatment on liver function was characterized by a marginal augmentation of ASAT and ALAT and by a small but significant leakage of mitochondrial glutamate dehydrogenase. In addition to the atypical CK, CK-BB, and CK-MB isoenzymes were found in the serum of the patient with primary carcinoid carcinoma.