Observation on the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase of alveolar macrophage in patients with lung cancer]

The number of alveolar macrophage (AM) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CA) in AM and obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were assayed in 11 lung cancer patients and 21 patients without lung cancer. The SOD, CA activities was lower in the patients with lung cancer than that in patients without lung cancer. The number of AM in BAL reduced too. It suggested that metabolism of AM was inhibited seriously in patients with lung cancer. The number of AM in BAL of smokers was significant higher than that of non-smokers, and it is postulated that the increase of AM is probably the result of stimulation induced by smoking.