title: Altered metabolism and mortality in patients with colon cancer receiving chemotherapy.
abstract: To identify the metabolic effects of 5-fluorouracil and hydrazine sulfate therapy, 22 patients with colon cancer were admitted prospectively to a Clinical Research Center for serial measurement of counter-regulatory hormones, fasting hepatic glucose production (HGP), intravenous glucose tolerance test, plasma leucine appearance (LA) and leucine oxidation. Combined therapy was associated with a significant reduction in fasting glucose level (98 +/- 2 mg/dL to 94 +/- 2, P < 0.025) without a significant fall in fasting HGP (2.09 +/- 0.11 mg/kg/min versus 2.03 +/- 0.13; P > 0.05). The decreased fasting glucose value was associated with a mild but not statistically improved glucose disposal rate in response to the intravenous glucose tolerance test (1.34 +/- 0.07 %/min vs 1.47 +/- 0.11, P = 0.15). Plasma leucine appearance was significantly reduced after 2 months of therapy (63.3 +/- 3.0 mumol/kg/hr vs 57.1 +/- 3.9 mumol/kg/hr; P < 0.025), but leucine oxidation (11.5 +/- 1.1 mumol/kg/hr vs 11.2 +/- 1.1 mumol/kg/hr) was not altered. Despite the fact that plasma triiodothyronine concentrations significantly increased with therapy, it was not associated with plasma LA. Half of the patients with cancer died 14 +/- 4 months after the study, and the other half were alive 58 +/- 2 months later. Survival time can be estimated with 59% accuracy using plasma LA, HGP, carcino-embryonic antigen, and insulin concentration. Multiple regression analysis identified that plasma LA was related directly to length of survival time, and baseline HGP, carcino-embryonic antigen, and insulin concentration were related inversely to length of survival.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tayek
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sutter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manglik
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Lillington
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grosvenor
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Chlebowski
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006834:Hydrazines; C029424:hydrazine; D005472:Fluorouracil