[Plasma amino acid pattern in gastrointestinal carcinoma]

We evaluated the free-plasma amino acid patterns of 156 patients with various gastrointestinal carcinomas at different tumor stages. As a control group, the plasma amino acid pattern of 73 healthy volunteers at different ages was determined. From out results we were able to compute a linear model of seven amino acids using computer-based stepwise discriminant analysis. This formula in the form of a Tumor-Index can be used as a prognostic indicator for the presence or absence of a gastrointestinal carcinoma.