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Alkaline phosphatase have been demonstrated histochemically in the cytoplasm of neutrophils. Altered LAP activity has been observed in a number of conditions. Increased values are found in various inflammatory lesions where as in different malignancies LAP falls. Our study was aimed to see the alteration in LAP activity in case of squamous cell carcinoma. The study was carried out in peripheral blood smears of 185 cases (110 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 75 of normal persons). After histochemical staining, LAP scoring was done. LAP score in Squamous cell carcinoma (mean +/- SD = 57.41 +/- 16.9). No significant difference in LAP score was found according to the site and grade of carcinoma, and in relation to metastasis. 43 cases were followed up after variable periods of treatment. LAP score was found to be significantly raised following treatment, (mean +/- SD = 21.14 +/- 5.94, p0.001). It is concluded that LAP scoring might be used as a cheap and simple technique to diagnose occult malignancies and to assess the response to therapy.

Total serum sialic acid (TSA), Lipid associated sialic acid (LASA), Total protein (TP) and TSA/TP factor (as cancer markers) have been estimated in 78 patients of cancer stomach, breast, colorectal region and gall bladder, before and after treatment and of varying degrees of metastasis and compared to 30 healthy controls. A significant rise in TSA and TSA/TP factor and a decrease in serum total protein levels was found in all cases of cancer. This increase was directly proportional to the degree of metastasis i.e. tumour burden. Serum TP levels were found decreased in all patients. Rise in LASA levels was not significant. Raised TSA/TP levels became lower to certain extent after effective therapy. Hence it can be inferred that although TSA and TSA/TP are not specific they are however, sensitive markers regarding detection of malignancy and useful in monitoring cancer progression and/or recurrent while evaluating the efficacy of various cancer therapies.