Enzyme activities in biopsy specimens from large-bowel mucosa in colorectal adenomas and carcinomas

Biopsy specimens from 29 adenomas, 17 adenocarcinomas, and 6 synchronous adenomas in cancer patients and from uninvolved mucosa of all main segments of the large bowel were examined histologically and assayed for a series of organelle marker enzymes. Six enzymes--lactase, sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, acid phosphatase, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase--showed less activity in adenomas than in adjacent uninvolved mucosa and in specimens from controls. Cancer tissue had higher gamma-glutamyltransferase and lower lactase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities than specimens from uninvolved mucosa in cancer patients and control patients. Enhanced alkaline phosphatase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities were seen in uninvolved mucosa of cancer patients as compared with those of adenoma and control patients. Evidence has been found for multienzyme analysis to identify adenomas with signs of malignant transformation and carcinomas with poor prognosis.