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An improved liquid chromatographic assay for serum ftorafur and fluorouracil is shown to be routine, sensitive, and reproducible using 200 micro l of serum. Dilute ammonium acetate buffer at pH 10.2 is used for solubilization of the evaporated ethyl acetate extract for injection into the liquid chromatograph. A stability study indicated little or no in vitro formation of fluorouracil from ftorafur under the conditions described. Low serum fluorouracil levels were found after administration of therapeutic doses of ftorafur.

Increase in size of bone is characteristic of acromegaly. In addition, hypertrophy of other tissues including skeletal muscle and associated myopathy may occur. We recently found 10 U/1 of isoenzyme creatine kinase 2 (MB) or 10.9% of total creatine kinase in a patient with acromegaly who did not show clinical or laboratory evidence of acute myocardial necrosis. The myopathy associated with acromegaly is thus another cause for the presence of serum CK 2 (MB), and CK 2 (MB) is not a specific isoenzyme for myocardial damage since it may be identified in the serum of patients with skeletal muscle conditions.