Plasma phospholipase A2 in children with malignant disorders

Forty nine children with various malignant disorders showed plasma phospholipase A2 catalytic activity concentrations in the range 0-48 U/l, and in 19 (39%) cases the values significantly exceeded 10 U/l. In 16 healthy children the catalytic concentration never exceeded 10 U/l. Of the 18 children with malignant lymphoma and 16 with acute leukaemia (14 of these with lymphoblastic leukaemia), 44% had plasma phospholipase A2 activities greater than 10 U/l. In 9 patients, an associated infection was either documented or could not be excluded. Of the remaining 40 patients, 33% had enzyme activities above 10 U/l. Although the determination of phospholipase A2 may not be relevant for the diagnosis of a malignancy, it may give an indication of the patient's reaction to the malignant process.