title: Vitamin C status in cancer patients and healthy subjects from the local population of Pokhara.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess vitamin C status by determining plasma ascorbic acid level in 55 cancer patients and 55 matched normal subjects serving as control.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proven cancer patients were selected from those attending Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara. Matched controls were from the staff of Manipal Teaching Hospital or attendants of the patients. Plasma ascorbic acid was determined by the method of Natelson. Unpaired student 't' test was used for the statistical evaluation. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 9 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean level of vitamin C in normal subjects and patients was 1.03+/-0.26 mg/dl and 0.90+/-0.30 mg/dl respectively. None of the subjects in either group had deficient status (<0.2 mg/dl). Although its status was normal in both the groups but patients had lower level than normal subjects. Smokers and alcohol consumers had significantly lower level than non-smoker and non-alcoholics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the local population, vitamin C deficiency is not an etiologic factor in malignancy. Smoking and alcohol adversely affects the status of this vitamin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Deep Heights, Pokhara, Nepal. deepakadhikari@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baxi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagamma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azhari
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid