Biochemical Status of Vitamin A in Patients with Malignant and Benign Breast Disease

抄録

A total of 95 female subjects including 17 breast cancer patients with metastases, 25 patients in the disease-free state after having been surgically treated for early-stage breast cancer, 28 patients with benign breast disease, and 25 healthy post-menopausal control subjects were examined for plasma concentrations of retinol and its carrier proteins, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and prealbumin, total protein, albumin, and zinc. Of these parameters the RBP and retinol levels were lower in all three groups of patients than in healthy subjects, and little differences in their levels were found between patients with benign and malignant breast disease, regardless of the stage of disease in the latter group. According to the plasma protein and zinc levels, and body mass index, the patients with breast disease appeared to be adequately nourished. These results indicate that the low plasma levels of RBP may be a consequence of breast disease rather than a feature of cancer per se and that the reduced plasma retinol is a reflection of impaired mobilization from its liver storage site.