The activities of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), prolyl endopeptidase (PE) and cathepsin B (CB) were investigated in primary human lung tumours and matched lung parenchyma, using continuous-rate fluorometric assays of the enzymes. Squamous-cell lung carcinomas showed significantly higher specific activities of all three enzymes studied. In lung adenocarcinomas only activities of PE and CB were increased significantly. In a limited number of primary human lung tumours of other histological types the activities of DPP-IV, PE and CB were also elevated. Mixing the matched homogenates of lung tumours and lung parenchyma gave additive activities for each enzyme studied. A significant correlation between tumour/lung ratios of specific activities of DPP-IV and CB was observed.