Adenosis Deaminase (ADA) activity in tuberculous and in carcinomatous lungs.

Determination of ADA activity in BALF was carried out in 12 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, 12 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and 11 healthy volunteers. Pertinent findings were: (1) ADA activity increased significantly only in tuberculous lungs; and (2) ADA activity in diseased lungs was significantly higher than in apparently non-diseased lungs. The latter findings may reflect the difference in local cellular activity and proliferation rate between the diseased and non-diseased lungs.