[Value of serum glycosidase spectrum in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Activities of alpha-L-fucosidase (alpha-Fucase), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (beta-GlcNA-case), N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminidase (beta-GalNAcase) and alpha-mannosidase (alpha-Manase) in sera of normal adults, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), benign liver diseases and non-liver diseases were determined by microquantitative spectrophotometry. The results showed that the activity of the four serum glycosidases in patients with HCC was significantly higher than that in normal adults. When the maximum 95% confidence limit was used as the positive line, the positivities of alpha-Fucase, beta-GlcNAcase, beta-GalNAcase and alpha-Manase for the diagnosis of HCC were 66.80%, 37.29%, 32.20% and 18.64%, respectively. There was a close relationship among the four glycosidases without being related to serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Some patients with benign liver diseases and non-liver diseases also had elevated glycosidase activity. However, the increase in several glycosidase activities was mainly found in HCC patients. Hepatitis patients with increased activities of more than one glycosidase were always accompanied with elevated SGPT or other abnormal liver functions. Therefore, serum glycosidase spectrum is useful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC, especially in AFP negative HCC patients.