Reduced leucine catabolism induced by chemotherapy in leukemic children

Five normal children, four children on chemotherapy, and two children who had completed chemotherapy within a year were studied using 13C-leucine breath test. 13C-Leucine was administered on an empty stomach and a single breath was collected sequentially over 3 h. The cumulative dose of 13C in expired gas was measured and found to be lower in children who had had chemotherapy than in the normal children. These results suggest that chemotherapy may lead to a reduction in leucine catabolism.