Evaluation of the usefulness of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels in the management of haematological neoplasia.
The levels of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and, when appropriate, alkaline phosphatase (AP) and 5'-nucleotidase (NTD) have been measured as a routine in 276 patients with malignant haematological diseases during a 26-month trial period. GGT levels add no prognostic information to the routine haematological surveillance of leukaemia. Polychemotherapy does not appear to be an inducer of liver drug-metabolising microsomal enzymes. Polycythaemia rubra vera, myelofibrosis and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia may cause little change in GGT, AP and NTD levels despite marked hepatomegaly. A raised GGT in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma is generally associated with active and widespread disease, but not necessarily a sign of malignant tissue in the liver. The elevations of GGT in myeloma may be secondary to liver infiltration though this group merits further detailed study.
Evaluation of the usefulness of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels in the management of haematological neoplasia. The levels of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and, when appropriate, alkaline phosphatase (AP) and 5'-nucleotidase (NTD) have been measured as a routine in 276 patients with malignant haematological diseases during a 26-month trial period. GGT levels add no prognostic information to the routine haematological surveillance of leukaemia. Polychemotherapy does not appear to be an inducer of liver drug-metabolising microsomal enzymes. Polycythaemia rubra vera, myelofibrosis and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia may cause little change in GGT, AP and NTD levels despite marked hepatomegaly. A raised GGT in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma is generally associated with active and widespread disease, but not necessarily a sign of malignant tissue in the liver. The elevations of GGT in myeloma may be secondary to liver infiltration though this group merits further detailed study.