title: Concentrations of carotenoids, tocopherols, and retinol in paired plasma and cervical tissue of patients with cervical cancer, precancer, and noncancerous diseases.
abstract: Paired blood (collected after an overnight fast) and cervical tissue (cancerous, precancerous, and noncancerous) samples were obtained from 87 patients (age, 21-86 years) who had a hysterectomy or biopsy due to cervical cancer, precancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I, II, and III), or noncancerous diseases. The samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography for 10 micronutrients (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cis-beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and retinol). The results indicated that: (a) among the three patient groups, the mean plasma concentrations of all micronutrients except gamma-tocopherol were lowest in the cancer patients; however, the mean tissue concentrations of the two tocopherols and certain carotenoids were highest in the cancerous tissue; and (b) among the 10 micronutrients, only the concentrations of beta-carotene and cis-beta-carotene were lower in both the plasma and tissue of cancer and precancer patients than in those of noncancer controls. These results suggest that: (a) not all of the micronutrient concentrations in plasma reflect the micronutrient concentrations in cervical tissue; thus, in some cases, it may be necessary to measure the tissue micronutrient concentrations to define the role of the micronutrients in cervical carcinogenesis; and (b) maintaining an adequate plasma and tissue concentration of beta-carotene may be necessary for the prevention of cervical cancer and precancer.
authors.affiliation: Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724, USA.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Childers
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids