[Serum immunoglobulins G, A and M in patients with liver carcinoma]

The level of immunoglobulins, G, A, M was determined via radial immunodiffusion in the sera of 70 patients with primary and metastatic hepatic carcinoma. Patients with extrahepatic carcinoma without metastases and patients with cirrhosis of the liver were studied for a comparison. A moderate elevation of IgA in all cases with carcinoma was established, the changes intensified with the spreading of the tumour. In those patients, no essential deviations were established in the other immunoglobulins with the exception of a light increase of IgM in case of primary hepatic carcinoma. Immunoglobulins in cirrhosis manifest a characteristic increase in all three classes, regardless if an additional carcinoma has originated. For the present, it is difficult to present a thorough interpretation of the deviations in immunoglobulins and to evaluate their values in the establishment and follow of up hepatic carcinoma.