Clinical Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2005; 11(48): 7646-7650
Published online Dec 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i48.7646
Involvement of serum retinoids and Leiden mutation in patients with esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers in Hungary
Gyula Mózsik, György Rumi, András Dömötör, Mária Figler, Beáta Gasztonyi, Előd Papp, Alajos Pár, Gabriella Pár, József Belágyi, Zoltán Matus, Béla Melegh
Gyula Mózsik, György Rumi, András Dömötör, Beáta Gasztonyi, Előd Papp, Alajos Pár, Gabriella Pár, First Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary
Zoltán Matus, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Medical Faculty, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary
Béla Melegh, Department of Medical Genetics and Child Development, Medical Faculty, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary
József Belágyi, Department of Bioanalysis, Medical Faculty, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary
Mária Figler, Department of Human Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the grant from the Hungarian Ministry of Health (ETT 595/2003)
Correspondence to: Professor. Gyula Mózsik, MD, First Department of Medicine, Medical and Health Centre, University of Pécs, Hungary. gyula.mozsik@aok.pte.hu
Telephone: +36-72-536-494 Fax: +36-72-536-495
Received: March 10, 2005
Revised: August 1, 2005
Accepted: August 3, 2005
Published online: December 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the serum levels of retinoids and Leiden mutation in patients with esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.

METHODS: The changes in serum levels of retinoids (vitamin A, α- and β-carotene, α- and β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein) and Leiden mutation were measured by high liquid performance chromatography (HPLC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 107 patients (70 males/37 females) with esophageal (0/8), gastric (16/5), liver (8/7), pancreatic (6/4), and colorectal (30/21 including 9 patients suffering from in situ colon cancer) cancer. Fifty-seven healthy subjects (in matched groups) for controls of serum retinoids and 600 healthy blood donors for Leiden mutation were used.

RESULTS: The serum levels of vitamin A and zeaxanthin were decreased significantly in all groups of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) tumors except for vitamin A in patients with pancreatic cancer. No changes were obtained in the serum levels of α- and β-carotene, α- and β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein in patients with GI cancer. The prevalence of Leiden mutation significantly increased in all groups of patients with GI cancer.

CONCLUSION: Retinoids (as environmental factors) are decreased significantly with increased prevalence of Leiden mutation (as a genetic factor) in patients before the clinical manifestation of histologically different (planocellular and hepatocellular carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma) GI cancer.

Keywords: Human gastrointestinal cancer; Leiden mutation; Retinoids; Vitamin A; Zeaxanthin