Methane production in patients with colorectal carcinoma.
In searching for a screening test to identify a population at high risk for large bowel cancer, methane production was measured in 45 patients with colorectal carcinoma compared with 67 individuals who served as a control group. There was no significant difference in methane production between the colorectal cancer patients and the control group (37.8 and 25.4% respectively). Within the colorectal cancer group 54% of the males were methane producers compared with 19% of the females (P = 0.03). There were no differences according to disease stage. In view of these results, we see little value in using expired air methane concentration as a screening test for large bowel cancer.
Kashtan
H
H
Department of Surgery A, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel.
Rabau
M
M
Peled
Y
Y
Milstein
A
A
Wiznitzer
T
T
D001944:Breath Tests; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000032:analysis*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*
D008697:Methane