Usefulness of homocysteine as a cancer marker: Total thiol compounds and folate levels in untreated lung cancer patients

Özkan Y., Yardim-Akaydin S., Firat H., Caliskan-Can E., Ardic S., Simsek B.

ANTICANCER RESEARCH, cilt.27, sa.2, ss.1185-1189, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 27 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2007
  • Dergi Adı: ANTICANCER RESEARCH
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1185-1189
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: homocysteine, cysteine, glutathione, folate, lung cancer, tumor marker, GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE, SERUM FOLATE, RISK-FACTOR, PLASMA HOMOCYSTEINE, CELL, DISEASE, CARCINOGENESIS, METHYLATION, PEROXIDASE, CARCINOMA
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Apart from being a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, the latest research suggests homocysteine as a marker for cancer. We aimed to explore the clinical utility of plasma homocysteine levels as a marker in lung cancer. Patients and Methods: Changes in serum total thiols and folate levels were investigated in newly diagnosed untreated lung cancer patients (n=37) and compared with healthy controls (n=26). Fluorometric HPLC methods were used for the determination of thiols. Other parameters were determined with commercial diagnostic kits. Results: Increased total homocysteine (t-Hcy), decreased total glutathione (t-GSH) and folate levels were observed in lung cancer patients compared with healthy controls. Total levels of thiols and folate did not show any significant difference between SCLC and NSCLC patients. However, there were significantly higher t-Hcy, lower t-GSH and folate levels in the advanced-stage group compared with controls. Prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 65% in lung cancer patients when 12 mu mol/l were taken as a. cut-off value for t-Hcy levels. Conclusion: Homocysteine is suggested as a marker for several types of cancer, but our result did not support this hypothesis for lung cancer. Although higher homocysteine levels were observed in the present study, further investigation in the larger cancer population would clarify the importance of homocysteine as a cancer marker.