In the West, as in Asia, patients with cirrhosis of the liver are at substantial risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, with a yearly incidence rate of 3 percent. Our screening program did not appreciably increase the rate of detection of potentially curable tumors.

Two different doses of carbon tetrachloride were administered orally to rats in order to produce acute liver injury. The release of enzymes into the blood stream, their levels in the liver tissue, and their elimination through the biliary tract were studied at various intervals after the drug administration. Cytosolic and mitochondrial enzymes were particularly increased in plasma ; the highest increases were observed with the higher dose of the drug. The plasma peak level of all the enzymes, except GLDH, was earlier with the larger dose of the drug. The tissue values of all the enzymes studied showed more or less significant decreases with the higher dose of the drug, while they were normal or slightly increased when the smaller dose was administered. Elimination of LDH, MDH, GOT, GLDH and ICDH in the bile was slightly increased 24 h after the drug administration.