The prognostic value of serum lysozyme activity in acute myelogenous leukemia

Serum lysozyme activity was measured in samples from adult patients with acute leukemia, malignant tumors, and in normal adults. Twenty-eight adult patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) had significantly elevated levels of lysozyme at diagnosis, and none of the adults fell within the normal range. Thirty-two patients with AML in complete remission had lysozyme levels comparable to normal adults, whereas patients with AML in relapse (eight cases) also had abnormally high levels of lysozyme activity. Ten patients with AML in remission and off therapy also had normal lysozyme levels. Three patients with acute lymphatic leukemia had normal lysozyme levels, while one child with monomyelocytic leukemia had substantially elevated lysozyme levels before treatment. It seems that in patients in remission and with normal blood values, the serum lysozyme activity is valuable for monitoring the remission.