Acute phase glycoproteins in sera of patients with sarcomas receiving methotrexate infusion therapy

The serum concentrations of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin and alpha-1-antitrypsin have been estimated serially in eight patients with malignant tumours of bone and soft tissue, who received a total of thirty-four intravenous infusions of high-dose methotrexate. The serum glycoprotein levels taken before the first drug exposure did not relate with the prognosis of these patients. A tumour mass (40 mm) did not influence the serum levels of these glycoproteins. The presence of a pleural effusion was associated with increased serum levels of these glycoproteins. These assays appear to be of no value in monitoring the course of the disease in this group of cancer patients.