CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 21, 202-212, Copyright
© 1971 by American Cancer Society
Lipoproteins in Cancer Patients
Marion Barclay Ph.D.1,
Vladimir P. Skipski Ph.D.2,
Olga Terebus-Kekish 3,
Edward M. Greene 4,
Richard J. Kaufman M.D.5, and
C. Chester Stock Ph.D.6
1 Associate Member, Division of Experimental Chemotherapy, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Walker Laboratory, Rye, New York.
2 Associate Member, Division of Experimental Chemotherapy, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Walker Laboratory.
3 Research Assistant, Division of Experimental Chemotherapy, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Walker Laboratory.
4 volunteer, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Walker Laboratory.
5 Associate Attending Physician, Department of Medicine, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York, New York.
6 Vice President and Acting Deputy Director, Walker Laboratory.
Serum lipoprotein levels were measured in normal subjects and in patients with cancer. All normal adult subjects were classified according to the amounts of high-density lipoprotein-2 in their sera. It was observed that subjects with low [SEE TABLE 1 IN SOURCE PDF.] values also had a pronounced positive history of cancer in close blood relatives. The only significant difference between the groups of normal women was a substantially lower amount of the high-density lipoprotein-2 in those with positive family histories of cancer. Normal men with family histories of cancer also had decreased values for high-density lipoprotein -2 and, in addition, had elevated levels of the very-low-density lipoproteins.
Values for the high-density lipoprotein -2 in patients with cancer were significantly below those obtained from normal subjects without a positive family history of cancer. In some patients, notably children with acute leukemia and lymphangiomatosis, the high-density lipoprotein -2 was absent.
Twenty-three normal subjects were questioned in detail and given physical examinations at the beginning of the project and at five years and questionnaires only at ten years. Four normal subjects (2 men and 2 women) of the 13 with positive family histories of cancer had very low values for high-density lipoprotein-2. They have since developed cancer. The 2 men also had markedly elevated values for the very-low-density lipoproteins. None of the 10 people with normal levels for high-density lipoprotein-2 and little or no incidence of cancer in the family developed cancer within the same time period.
This study suggests a positive association between abnormal lipoprotein biochemistry (particularly decreased HDL2), familial relationship and the possibility of developing cancer.
