Placental type alkaline phosphatase in possibly premalignant alterations of human gastric mucosa.

The occurrence of placental type alkaline phosphatase (Regan enzyme) was studied in various pathological conditions of the human stomach using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and various inhibition techniques. Placental type alkaline phosphatase could be demonstrated in 16 out of 22 gastric carcinomas, in 3 out of 11 moderate and 6 out of 6 severe dysplasias, we failed however to demonstrate it in any other pathological conditions of the stomach, i.e. in intestinal metaplasia. There was no correlation between the occurrence of Regan enzyme and histological type of gastric carcinomas. The appearance of placental type alkaline phosphatase in gastric dysplasias may be suggestive of malignant transformation and its determination in repeated biopsy samples may be a help in the follow-up of patients with abnormal gastroscopic findings.