Adenocarcinoma of the lung secreting alkaline phosphatase

A 42-year old male was found to have adenocarcinoma of the lung and very high serum alkaline phosphatase levels. The clinical course and autopsy excluded the possibility that the enzyme elevation was due to liver or bone metastases, which is the most common cause for such a phenomenon. It was proven that the tumor secreted the alkaline phosphatase, and that the latter could serve as a marker of its recidivation. Although the phenomenon of tumors secreting alkaline phosphatase is not new, including some types of lung carcinomas (such as squamous cell and epidermoid), it is, to the best of our knowledge, the first time adenocarcinoma of the lung was found to secrete the enzyme.