Levels of fat-soluble micronutrients and 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol in head and neck cancer patients.
Smoking negatively affects serum carotenoid levels, and it is a negative prognostic factor for head and neck cancer. In this study, micronutrient levels were examined in 60 smoking and non-smoking head and neck cancer patients. The goal was to determine if oxidation of the carotenoid lycopene would occur to a greater extent in smokers. Subjects were drawn from a prospective cohort study and matched on seven demographic factors. Serum levels of alpha-carotene, zeaxanthin, and 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol A, an oxidation product of lycopene, were all lower in smokers versus non-smokers (18%, 22%, and 8%, respectively) while beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lutein were about the same in the two groups. Levels of lycopene, gamma-tocopherol, and alpha-tocopherol were higher in smokers, and notably serum alpha-tocopherol was 48% higher in smokers. The majority of vitamin E intake was from supplements. The higher levels of alpha-tocopherol in smokers were interesting in that higher alpha-tocopherol levels have been associated with higher mortality in head and neck cancer. Although this was a pilot investigation, there was no evidence that 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol A formation was appreciably affected by smoking status, but alpha-tocopherol levels were higher in smokers.
Djuric
Zora
Z
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Zoralong@vmich.edu
Ronis
David L
DL
Fowler
Karen E
KE
Ren
Jianwei
J
Duffy
Sonia A
SA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D015930:Diet Records; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000097:blood; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D018977:Micronutrients; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein