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Decrease of serum carnitine levels in patients with or without gastrointestinal cancer cachexia.

Mariano Malaguarnera1, Corrado Risino, Maria Pia Gargante

  • 1Department of Senescence, Urological and Neurological Sciences, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy. malaguar@unict.it.

World Journal of Gastroenterology
|July 29, 2006
PubMed
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Serum carnitine levels are significantly decreased in cachectic cancer patients, particularly those with gastrointestinal cancer. These deficiencies may worsen cancer cachexia progression.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Oncology
  • Metabolism

Background:

  • Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by involuntary weight loss and muscle wasting.
  • Carnitine plays a crucial role in fatty acid metabolism, and its deficiency has been linked to various pathological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate serum carnitine levels in patients with digestive organ cancers.
  • To compare these levels with those in patients with other cancers and healthy controls.
  • To elucidate the role of carnitine in cancer cachexia.

Main Methods:

  • Serum levels of free carnitine, short-chain acylcarnitine, long-chain acylcarnitine, and total carnitine were measured.
  • Fifty-five cachectic patients (with or without gastrointestinal cancer) were studied.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparisons were made with 60 well-nourished cancer patients and 30 healthy controls.

    • Main Results:

    • Cachectic patients, especially those with gastrointestinal cancer, exhibited significantly lower serum carnitine levels compared to controls.
    • Free, short-chain, and total carnitine levels were markedly reduced in cachectic cancer patients.
    • Specific differences in acylcarnitine forms were observed between patient groups.

    Conclusions:

    • Low serum carnitine levels in terminal cancer patients are attributed to reduced dietary intake and impaired synthesis.
    • Carnitine deficiency is implicated as a contributing factor to the progression of cancer cachexia.
    • Further research into carnitine supplementation may offer therapeutic benefits for cancer patients.