title: Micronutrients in gastrointestinal cancer.
abstract: The monitoring of micronutrients and the relationship between dietary intake and micronutrient status prior to and after surgery in patients with histologically proven gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, both weight-stable and weight-losing (> 7.5% of their pre-illness weight) has been studied and the results compared to controls. Plasma vitamin C and red blood cell thiamine levels were significantly lower in weight-losing cancer patients when compared to their weight-stable counterparts (P < 0.05 and P < 0.02 respectively). Weight-losing patients had a lower vitamin C (P < 0.05) and thiamine (P < 0.002) intake, and a higher elevation in plasma C-reactive protein and a lower prealbumin level (P < 0.02), when compared to both weight-stable cancer patients and controls. Plasma vitamin C, prealbumin and C-reactive protein levels remained unchanged after curative resections of the tumours compared to a preoperative value, and there was a highly significant correlation between plasma vitamin C and dietary intake of vitamin C. This study suggests that the lower vitamin C and thiamine status in weight-losing gastrointestinal cancer patients prior to surgery is due to a lower micronutrient intake and an acute phase response to their illness. Dietary intake of vitamin C appears to be the major factor in determining plasma vitamin C concentration following curative surgical resection.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Unit, Royal London Hospital Medical College, Whitechapel, London, U.K.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Georgiannos
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Weston
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Goode
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D011228:Prealbumin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein