B vitamins and homocysteine in cancer patients with solid malignancies before chemotherapy administration

Abstract

Recently, the role of vitamin imbalance in carcinogenesis has been actively discussed. Studies aimed at assessing their role in the processes of cancer development are various, and the evaluation of the initial level of vitamins is relevant when planning antitumor therapy.Objective. To determine the state of the initial level of B vitamins and homocysteine before chemotherapy in patients of different oncologic profile.Material sand Methods. The level of vitamins B1, B6, B9, active form of B12* and homocysteine in fresh frozen plasma was determined by enzyme[1]linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using test systems in 66 patients with verified malignant neoplasms before chemotherapy. The study included 66 patients: women n=40 and men n=26, with cancer: gastric n=12, colorectal cancer n=21, cancer lung n=11, cancer pelvic organs n=22.Results. According to the results of the study the increase in the level of holotranscobalamin (Holo-TC) and decrease in homocysteine in comparison with reference values was observed in 100% of cases. Significant difference was found only for B1: reliable differences between patients with colorectal cancer and with pelvic cancer (in the latter the mean value of B1 levels was 2.4 times higher at p = 0.0425). According to the results of correlation analysis, a weak correlation between B12 and B9 was determined. When comparing the levels of vitamin B12 and homocysteine in patients after surgical treatment and without it, no significant differences were found.Conclusion. Increased Holo-TC levels and decreased homocysteine levels by ELISA are characteristic of all varieties of solid cancer, independent of sex, age, stage and previous surgical intervention. A relative decrease in vitamin B1 is characteristic of colorectal cancer