Introduction: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical significance of acid phosphatase in giant cell tumour of bone.
Patients and methods: Serum acid phosphatase levels were measured in 32 patients with this tumour both preoperatively and postoperatively.
Results: Serum acid phosphatase value before surgery was high in 15 patients, whereas it was within normal limits in 17 patients. The serum acid phosphatase values of all the 15 patients with high preoperative serum level fell within normal limits postoperatively. In the remaining 17 patients in whom preoperative serum acid phosphatase values were within normal limits, postoperative serum acid phosphatase levels were lower than that of preoperative ones in all the patients. In addition, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the tumour volume and the preoperative serum acid phosphatase level.
Conclusion: It is concluded that serum acid phosphatase is a useful tumour marker for giant cell tumour of bone.