title: Plasma Riboflavin Level is Associated with Risk, Relapse, and Survival of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
abstract: Riboflavin is an essential micronutrient for normal cellular activity, and deficiency may result in disease, such as cancer. We performed a case-control study to explore the association of riboflavin levels with risk and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Plasma riboflavin levels, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in ESCC patients were significantly lower than in those of healthy controls (7.04 ± 6.34 ng/ml vs. 9.32 ± 12.40 ng/ml; P < 0.05). Moreover, there was an inverse relationship between riboflavin level and risk of ESCC (odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.95-0.99, P =  0.02). The 5-year relapse-free and overall survival rates were significantly lower when riboflavin levels were ≤0.8 ng/ml than >0.8 ng/ml (relapse-free survival rate: 29.4% vs. 54.8%; overall survival rate: 28.6% vs. 55.6%). Plasma riboflavin level was an independent protective factor for both relapse-free (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.325, 95% CI = 0.161-0.657, P = 0.002) and overall survival of ESCC patients (HR = 0.382, 95% CI = 0.190-0.768, P = 0.007). In conclusion, plasma riboflavin levels are significantly related to risk and prognosis of ESCC patients, suggesting that moderate supplementation of riboflavin will decrease risk and prevent recurrence of ESCC and also improve prognosis of ESCC patients.
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|b Department of Public Health , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|c Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|c Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|d Department of Clinical Laboratory , the Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Yi-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|c Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Jian-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|b Department of Public Health , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|c Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Hua-Zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: e Department of Oncologic Surgery , Shantou Central Hospital, Affiliated Shantou Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|f Department of Pathology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|b Department of Public Health , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|c Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: En-Min
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.|f Department of Pathology , Shantou University Medical College , Shantou , China.
authors.forename: Li-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011379:Prognosis; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C548553:SLC52A3 protein, human; D012256:Riboflavin