[Plasma taurine levels in patients with esophagus cancer].
BACKGROUND
The esophagus cancer-host has a two way close relationship as seen in its sulphur-amino acid metabolism. Taurine one of these compounds has ubiquous role in host defense and other physiological mechanisms related to survival.


OBJECTIVE
To study the plasma levels of taurine and its precursors in patients with esophagus cancer.


METHODS
In a sectional design both groups, patients (n = 16, 43-73 yrs old) and healthy controls (n = 20, 27-65 yrs old) were assessed for anthropometry, body-weight lost, hematology (Hb, Ht, total leukocytes and lymphocyte counts), general biochemistry (albumin, glucose, lipids and aminotransferases) and chromatographic analysis for taurine, cysteine, and homocysteine. The survival time was registered there since from the clinical-histopathological diagnosis. All participants had a written ethical consent for the research.


RESULTS
The cancer patients were predominantly, white males of low social economic class, with spinocellular carcinoma stage IV located at upper 3rd half of them presented hypoalbuminemia and 16% referred significant body-weight loss. The patients showed statistically lower values of Hb, Ht, total and HDL cholesterol and cysteine and significantly higher values of taurine, homocysteine and aminotransferases than healthy controls. A positive relationship was found between taurine and either TLC (r = 0.50) and survival (r = 0.81).


CONCLUSIONS
Lower plasma cysteine along with higher levels of taurine and homocysteine and the positive direct association of taurine with indications of survival suggest an effective role of this compound and therefore a prospective special nutritional care in its precursors (cysteine, methionine and B vitamins) of these patients.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bases Gerais da Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. vanialamonica@uol.com.br
Vânia Cristina
VC
Lamônica-Garcia
Flávia Andréa
FA
Marin
Mauro Masson
MM
Lerco
Fernando
F
Moreto
Maria Aparecida Coelho Arruda
MA
Henry
Roberto Carlos
RC
Burini
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013654:Taurine / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006710:Homocysteine; D013654:Taurine; D003545:Cysteine
Níveis plasmáticos de taurina e de seus precursores em pacientes com câncer de esôfago.