[The enzymatic activity of DNA metabolism of the blood in patients operated on in stomach cancer].

The study was concerned with comparison of the activity of thymidine kinase, thymidine phosphorylase, adenosine desaminase and AMP 5'-nucleotidase in serum of cancer patients and healthy subjects. A significant change in 5'-nucleotidase level was registered in patients over 60 years of age and in those of adenosine desaminase and thymidine phosphorylase in patients older than 70 years. A comparative evaluation of the activity of those enzymes showed an increase in thymidine kinase activity matched by a sharp drop in that of thymidine phosphorylase in patients over 45 years. A sharp increase in the activity of adenosine metabolizing enzymes in cancer serum was accompanied by its decrease in lymphocytes. Among surgical patients, significant changes in the activity were observed in radically operated cases only.