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Amino acid incorporation into liver proteins was studied with an in vitro method during and after a short-term hepatic artery ligation (HAL) in the dog. The incorporation of amino acids into liver proteins was linear for up to 4 h of incubation. An optimal incorporation rate was found with the leucine concentration used in the medium. After 1 h of HAL, the incorporation rate was 58% (p < 0.01) of the initial value. After reopening the hepatic artery, the incorporation rate significantly increased and was 75% of the initial value 120 min after the HAL period. No changes in the concentration of potassium or liver enzymes in peripheral, portal or hepatic venous blood were seen during the experiments. It is concluded that the method used to study the incorporation of amino acids into liver proteins is a sensitive tool in evaluating the metabolic effects of a short-term HAL.

One hundred and twentysix patients earlier operated on for colorectal cancer were followed-up once yearly with serum screening tests. T h e activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gammaglutamyltranspeptidase (GT) were recorded. 58 patients had positive tests. T h e majority of the patients with liver metastases (20/21) was possible to encircle with these simple serum tests. 38 of the 58 "screening positive patients" were further investigated with celiac angiography and/or liver scintigraphy a n d liver metastases were very suspect in 29 of these patients. 18 of them were laparotomized a n d the suspicion was verified in 8. 7 of these patients could be subjected to surgery against their liver tumours and 2 of them have then survived more than 2 years. T h e authors suggest a follow-up system with shorter interval between the examinations.