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Serum retinoic acid, retinol and retinyl palmitate levels in patients with lung cancer
Author(s) -
MOULAS Anargyros N.,
GEROGIANNI Irini C.,
PAPADOPOULOS Dimitrios,
GOURGOULIANIS Konstantinos I.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2006.00833.x
Subject(s) - retinyl palmitate , retinol , medicine , endocrinology , retinoic acid , retinoid , lung cancer , vitamin , cancer , gastroenterology , biochemistry , biology , gene
Objectives:: Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between dietary vitamin A intake and the risk of developing lung cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the vitamin A status in patients with lung cancer, by determining the serum levels of retinoic acid, retinol and retinyl palmitate. Methods:: In total, 36 patients with lung cancer and 27 controls were assessed. Of the patients 14 had squamous cell carcinoma, 3 adenocarcinoma, 15 non‐small cell lung cancer and 4 small cell lung cancer. Serum retinoic acid, retinol and retinyl palmitate levels were determined with HPLC and UV detection, after liquid extraction. Results:: Serum retinol levels did not differ between patients (733.5 ± 326.4 ng/mL) and controls (734.5 ± 337.1 ng/mL). The retinyl palmitate concentration tended to be lower in patients (14.3 ± 9.7 ng/mL) than in controls (16.7 ± 13.7 ng/mL) The serum retinoic acid levels were significantly lower in patients (1.9 ± 0.6 ng/mL) than in controls (2.5 ± 1.1 ng/mL, P < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between the retinol and retinoic acid levels and retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid levels. Conclusions:: The lower levels of retinoic acid in patients with lung cancer suggest there may be a deficiency or impairment in retinol metabolism in these patients. Further studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to evaluate the possible relationship between serum retinoid levels and lung cancer.