carcinomedin and Neoplasms

The serum levels of the cholesterol derivative 1-keto-24-methyl-25-hydroxycholecalciferol found in patients with cancer varies after surgical, chemical or radiotherapy treatments. The serum level associated with the vitamin profile has a predictive value for evaluating progress of the disease and therapeutic efficacy. The detection, identification and assay of a vitamin D3 derivative, 1-keto-24-methyl-25-hydroxycholecalciferol, named carcinomedin by us, in the serum of cancer patients was described in prior work. Also, the assay of carcinomedin, combined with those of serum levels of vitamin A, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol indicated a statistically significant correlation between these parameters and the localization of the primary neoplastic mass. In spite of the probable connection between carcinomedin and the presence of a neoplastic mass, several questions remain unanswered. In particular, it may be asked if the stage and progression of the tumor, surgical, chemotherapeutic or radiotherapeutic treatments may be related with any type of change in the serum levels of carcinomedin and fat soluble vitamins? To verify and respond to these questions, patients with various cancers (stomach, esophagus, breast, ovaries, uterus, etc.) were followed for three years. Clinical data were compared to analytical data supplied by assays of carcinomedin and the fat soluble vitamins.

Topics: Adult; Aged; beta Carotene; Biomarkers, Tumor; Calcitriol; Carotenoids; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Prospective Studies; Vitamin A; Vitamin E

Many investigations suggested relations between fat soluble vitamin levels in blood and incidence of cancer. These studies are concerning both therapeutical efficiency of vitamins intake, seric levels and cancer risk, and the supposed correlation between blood fat soluble vitamin levels and the cancer localization. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the alterations of fat soluble vitamin levels (A-vitamin, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol) were correlated not only to carcinogenic processes but also to the localizations of their developments. In a former article, we have found that an abnormal ketone derivative of D3 vitamin (1-keto-24-methyl-25-hydroxycholecalciferol) or carcinomedin was present in the serum of all cancer patients and absent in that of healthy control subjects. Serum levels of the four above substances were determined in 1068 subjects suffering from differently localized cancers and in 880 healthy subjects. A statistical multidimensional analysis of data led a separate five groups of cancer types (p less than 0.001). Within each group alterations of vitamin spectra, compared to controls, were identical; between groups they were significantly different. These groups were: anal and intestinal cancer; pancreatic, hepatic, oesophageal and gastric cancer; laryngeal and lung cancer; uro-genital and breast cancer; brain cancer. All these groups are statistically different from the reference one (p less than 0.001). This grouping roughly corresponds to the embryologic origin of affected organs. This suggests that carcinogenesis may alter fat soluble vitamin metabolism, specifically in various forms of cancer, or these alterations of vitamin metabolism are in some way involved in the carcinogenic process.

Topics: Adult; beta Carotene; Breast Neoplasms; Calcitriol; Carotenoids; Digestive System Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Intestinal Neoplasms; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Nervous System Neoplasms; Urogenital Neoplasms; Vitamin A; Vitamin E

In a previous article we have reported our finding of an unknown vitamin derivative in the serum of cancer patients and in rats transplanted by a malignant tumor. Analysis of this compound extracted from serum of cancer patients, was carried out by I.R., U.V., mass spectrography and nuclear magnetic resonance (N.M.R.) determination. This analysis led us to the conclusion that the compound was a ketone derivative of D3 vitamin: 1-ceto-24-methyl-25-hydroxycholecalciferol, provisionally designated D3C. Enzymatic pathways involved in the biosynthesis of this substance and its possible role in normal and pathological cell division are discussed.

Topics: Calcitriol; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Neoplasms; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

Using new techniques for micro-determinations of blood fat soluble vitamin concentrations, this study from a large population of cancer patients compared to healthy controls led to the finding, extraction and isolation of an abnormal cholecalciferol derivative the 1-ceto-24-methyl-25-hydroxycholecalciferol. This factor was shown to be present in serum from cancer patients and absent in most normal controls. A double blind study has confirmed the diagnostic value of this new marker of cancer. In the same time, an animal study was performed. The abnormal cholecalciferol derivative, absent in intact rats, was found in the blood of rats transplanted by the Ehrlich carcinoma. The compound, extracted from serum of human cancer patients, injected to transplanted rats significantly decreased their survival time. Injected to untransplanted rats it induced hypocalcemia. The genesis and the possible role of this factor in cancer development are discussed.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Breast Neoplasms; Calcitriol; Calcium; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor; Esophageal Neoplasms; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neoplasms; Nervous System Neoplasms; Ovarian Neoplasms; Prospective Studies; Rats