Química medicinal

Is Folate an Aetiological Factor for Colorectal Cancer Onset? A Case- Control Study

Abstract

Asma Kassab, Awatef Msolly, Shunji Fujimori, Ramzi Lakhdar and Abdelhedi Miled

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of serum folate concentration in newly diagnosed patients with colorectal cancer. Patient population consisted of 101 sporadic colon cases, newly diagnosed, non-alcoholic and non-multivitamins users. Control population consisted of 130 healthy subjects. Venous blood was collected prior to the first chemotherapy intervention. Folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine were measured using an automated analyzer system. Vitamin B6 was quantified using an enzyme immunoassay. Insulin and leptin were measured using immunoradiometric assay. Folic acid and vitamin B12 were significantly increased in cases compared to controls (15 ± 7 ng/ml vs. 10 ± 4 ng/ml, P=0.01; 330 ± 200 pg/ml vs. 220 ± 100 pg/ml, P=0.02) respectively. Folic acid and BMI were inversely correlated in controls (r=-0.32; P=0.05). There was no significant difference of homocysteine and vitamin B6 between cases and controls. Leptin and insulin were significantly higher in cases with BMI ≥ 27 than in controls with BMI ≥ 27 (16 ± 7 ng/ml vs. 14 ± 7 ng/ml; 32 ± 18 μIU/ml vs. 29 ± 11 μIU/ml). However, stratifying leptin and insulin by cancer stages yielded to no clear pattern. Folate may be implicated as a potential aetiological factor for colorectal cancer.