Liver enzymes and pathology in hodgkin's disease

Liver pathology and levels of serum enzymes of presumed hepatic origin (alkaline phosphatase (AP), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and 5′nucleotidase (5′N)) in 67 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were correlated to determine the accuracy with which such serum measurements reflected hepatic involvement with HD. Patients with advanced stages of HD tended to have higher levels of serum AP than patients with localized disease whether or not HD of the liver was demonstrated. Many patients with all stages of HD who had elevated serum AP had nonspecific but abnormal liver pathology. The other serum enzymes measured were of even less value in assessing whether or not a patient had hepatic HD. Histologic examination of adequate liver tissue appears to be the only reliable method by which hepatic HD can be diagnosed. Serum AP is more sensitive than γ-GT in following the clinical course of patients with proven hepatic HD.