Hepatic Catalase Activity in Advanced Human Cancer1

Hepatic catalase activity in unanesthetized man has been de termined by measuring the disappearance rate of hydrogen perox ide spectrophotometrically in homogenates from needle biopsy specimens of liver. Ten healthy male prisoners, 59 patients with advanced cancer, and 60 cadavers shortly after death with cancer were studied. There is a wide range of catalase activity in normal human liver. Catalase activity per gm of liver nitrogen in patients dead with cancer was approximately 40% of the normal mean. In serial biopsy studies, advancing cancer with progressive clinical deterioration was associated with decreasing catalase activity which occurred independently from weight change. Response to chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy evidenced by objec tive regression of tumor masses was associated with a rise in liver catalase activity. This pattern of catalase response was found in all the broad classes of cancer studied. In the presence of pro found systemic drug toxieity, catalase elevation was sometimes not seen despite tumor regression. When survival of those who responded and those who failed to respond to their cancer treat ments were compared, there is a clear survival advantage for those who sustained response. This advantage was anticipated by higher liver catalase activity after response to treatment.