The value of serum alkaline phosphatase alpha 1 isoenzyme in the diagnosis of liver metastases. Preliminary results.

Serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme electrophoresis on cellulose acetate plates in a normal population of 91 controls and 255 cancer patients demonstrates the presence of an isoenzyme alpha 1 in 36 out of39 cases of confirmed liver metastases. In 188 cancer patients without apparent hepatic lesion and with a normal liver biology, the alpha 1 isoenzyme has been found in 45 cases, but 11 presented afterwards confirmed liver metastases. This isoenzyme remained negative in the normal population. Therefore, our results indicate that the alpha 1 alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme may be a useful marker for the biological diagnosis of liver metastases.