[Measurements of blood citrates in neoplasms with bone metastases]

Blood citrate was measured in 49 patients with cancer, with or without bone metastases, and in 53 normal subjects. It is significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients with bone metastases than in normal subjects or patients without bone metastases. In normal subjects, blood citrate is higher in summer than in winter and higher in older people. The theoretical and practical interest of these observations is discussed.