Serum lipid profile in colorectal cancer patients with and without synchronous distant metastases.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, the serum lipid profile, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), has been investigated in colorectal cancer patients (CRC) with and without synchronous distant metastases. The aim of this study was to verify whether the presence of metastases was associated to serum lipid abnormalities, and whether lipoprotein abnormalities were linked to the nutritional status.


METHODS
The fasting serum lipid profile was examined in 84 CRC patients using colorimetric methods. To determine the nutritional status, the body mass index (BMI) was calculated and serum albumin was measured.


RESULTS
Patients with distant metastases showed significantly higher levels of TC, LDL-C and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio than patients without metastases (p< 0.05). The presence of metastases was positively associated with TC, LDL-C and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, being independent of sex, age and BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated serum lipid levels may facilitate the development of distant metastasis in CRC patients.
Notarnicola
Maria
M
Laboratorie of Biochemistry, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, Castellana Grotte, Italy.
Altomare
Donato F
DF
Correale
Mario
M
Ruggieri
Eustachio
E
D'Attoma
Benedetta
B
Mastrosimini
Anna
A
Guerra
Vito
V
Caruso
Maria G
MG
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol