Investigation of gastrointestinal tumor symptoms and risk factors in eighty patients with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is often accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms; however, the relationship between PD and gastrointestinal tumors remains unclear.

AIM

To explore the symptom characteristics and risk factors of gastrointestinal tumors in patients with PD by integrating clinical, neurological, gastrointestinal, and laboratory assessments.

METHODS

Eighty patients with PD who were admitted to our hospital between January 2023 and December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristics and neurological status were evaluated using standardized scales, including the Mini-Mental State Examination, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Barthel Index, Non-Motor Symptoms Scale, and the Intake, Feeling nauseated, Emesis, physical Exam, Duration of symptoms (I-FEED) gastrointestinal dysfunction score. Laboratory indicators including tumor markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4)] were measured. Differences between PD patients with and without gastrointestinal tumors were compared, and logistic regression was used to identify associated factors.

RESULTS

Among the 80 PD patients, 16 (20.00%) had gastrointestinal tumors. The most common symptoms in the tumor group were constipation (93.75%), urgency of defecation (75.00%), and abdominal tightness (75.00%). Patients with gastrointestinal tumors had significantly higher I-FEED, CEA, CA19-9, and CA72-4 levels (P < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed that sex, disease duration, I-FEED score, and the levels of CEA, CA19-9, and CA72-4 were independently associated with the presence of gastrointestinal tumors, while Non-Motor Symptoms Scale was not significantly related.

CONCLUSION

This study uniquely combines neurological symptom scales and tumor markers to evaluate gastrointestinal tumor risk in patients with PD. The findings suggest that gastrointestinal dysfunction and tumor marker elevation are key clinical indicators, and highlight the importance of comprehensive assessment in identifying high-risk PD patients for timely intervention.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; Gastrointestinal tumors; Symptom characteristics; Risk factors; Clinic

Core Tip: This study investigated 80 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and revealed that approximately 20% of them had coexisting gastrointestinal tumors. Common symptoms included constipation and urgent bowel movements. The presence of tumors was significantly associated with factors such as sex, disease duration, gastrointestinal function scores, and elevated levels of multiple tumor markers, offering insight into early identification of high-risk patients.