title: Plasma levels of glucose and insulin in patients with brain tumors.
abstract: In the last years there were many authors that suggest the existence of an association between different components of metabolic syndrome and various cancers. Two important components of metabolic syndrome are hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Both of them had already been linked with the increased risk of pancreatic, breast, endometrial or prostate cancer. However the correlation of the level of the glucose and insulin with various types and grades of brain tumors remains unclear. In this article we have analysed the values of plasma glucose and insulin in 267 patients, consecutively diagnosed with various types of brain tumors. Our results showed no correlation between the glycemia and brain tumor types or grades. High plasma levels of insulin were found in brain metastasis and astrocytomas while the other types of brain tumors (meningiomas and glioblastomas) had lower levels of the peptide. The levels of insulin were also higher in brain metastasis and grade 3 brain tumors when compared with grade 1, grade 2 and grade 4 brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Neurology, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alexandru
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Neurology, Romania.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ene
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Biochemistry, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana Stefana
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Purcaru
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Biochemistry, Romania.
authors.forename: Daniela Elise
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Tache
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Neurology, Romania ; University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Biochemistry, Romania.
authors.forename: Alisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Biochemistry, Romania ; University of Craiova, Department of Sports Medicine and Kinesiology, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana Maria
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Neamtu
authors.affiliation: Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Ligia Gabriela
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Tataranu
authors.affiliation: Medico Science Romania.
authors.forename: Ada Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Georgescu
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Neurology, Romania.
authors.forename: Valerica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tudorica
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Neurology, Romania.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaharia
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Department of Biochemistry, Romania.
authors.forename: Anica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dricu
keywords: brain tumors; glucose; insulin; relations