Pancreatic juice gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase in pancreatic disease.

Pancreatic juice gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT, EC 2.3.2.2) has been proposed as a marker of pancreatic disease. We have collected pancreatic juice endoscopically from 24 control patients and 43 patients with a variety of hepatic, pancreatic, and biliary disorders. Pancreatic juice GGT, alanine transaminase (ALT, EC 2.6.1.2), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP, EC 3.1.3.1) were measured and found to be present in all samples. GGT was significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer (range 21-1175 IU/liter, P less than 0.005) compared with controls (range 2-52 IU/liter). Of 17 patients with pancreatic juice GGT concentrations greater than 52 IU/liter, eleven had definite pancreatic disease (seven pancreatic cancer, four chronic pancreatitis) and, in the remaining six, pancreatitis was possible although not proven. Pancreatic juice ALT and ALP provided no useful diagnostic criteria. GGT in pancreatic juice seems to be a nonspecific marker of pancreatic disease and merits further study.