Serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme‐ 1 in children with yolk sac tumor

Abstract

Although in recent years the evidence of an increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme‐1 (LDH‐1) in patients with germ cell tumor (GCT) has attracted attention, there have only been a few reports concerning yolk sac tumor (YST), which is a frequent type of GCT in childhood. Serum LDH isoenzymes were determined in eight children with YST, and an increase in LDH‐1 was found in seven of them, excluding one in an early stage. On the basis of the findings of serial serum LDH‐1 levels during treatment and of LDH isoenzyme pattern in tumor tissues, it is presumed that the increased serum LDH‐1 is derived from tumor tissues. LDH‐1 seems to be useful as a tumor marker, not specific for YST but associated with the whole spectrum of GCT, for monitoring of YST. Copyright © 1985 American Cancer Society