title: Intestinal permeability, vitamin A absorption, alpha-tocopherol, and neopterin in patients with rectal carcinoma treated with chemoradiation.
abstract: Although gastrointestinal toxicity is one of the most common side effects of anticancer therapy, the diagnosis and assessment of this toxicity still depend mostly on anamnestic data. Measurement of intestinal permeability is one of potential methods of non-invasive laboratory evaluation of gastrointestinal toxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate intestinal permeability, vitamin A absorption, serum alpha-tocopherol, and urinary neopterin in patients with rectal carcinoma treated with chemoradiation. We have studied intestinal permeability, vitamin A absorption, serum alpha-tocopherol, and urinary neopterin in 17 patients with rectal carcinoma treated with chemoradiation. Urinary lactulose, mannitol, and xylose were measured by capillary gas chromatography, and serum alpha-tocopherol, retinol, retinyl esters, and urinary neopterin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Lactulose/mannitol ratio was increased 5 and 6 weeks after the start of the treatment. Serum alpha-tocopherol was decreased significantly throughout the course of treatment, but no significant changes were observed in postprandial serum concentrations of retinyl esters or in the concentrations of urinary neopterin. A correlation was observed between baseline parameters of intestinal permeability and urinary neopterin. The measurement of intestinal permeability using the lactulose/mannitol test may represent a sensitive tool in the detection of changes associated with chemoradiation in patients with rectal carcinoma. The therapy is also associated with a decrease of alpha-tocopherol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology & Radiotherapy, Charles University Medical School and Teaching Hospital, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorák
authors.forename: Bohuslav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Melichar
authors.forename: Radomír
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hyspler
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krcmová
authors.forename: Lubor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Urbánek
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalábová
authors.forename: Markéta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasparová
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solichová
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000652:urine; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004224:Diterpenes; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000652:urine*; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000975:Antioxidants; D002241:Carbohydrates; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D019798:Neopterin; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D005472:Fluorouracil