Abstract
In a group of patients with malignant tumours localized to different segments of the digestive canal and metastases clinically confined to liver only, the following findings have been constantly observed: increase of the serum alkaline phosphatase level, bilirubinemia levels below the higher normal limit, rise of the serum bromsulfalein retention, normal colloid lability tests and unchanged blood lipid fractions.
Such a combination of values would in reality speak for a metastatic invasion of the liver, apart from unfrequent and well identifiable exceptions.
An adequate evaluation of such results would give more precise indications for an early diagnosis of liver metastases and allow more exact criteria of operability as concerns the primary tumour. Further valuable data are given by gradual increase of alkaline hyperphosphatasemia and bromsulfalein retention, with normal bilirubinemia.
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