[Quantitative study of serum protein loss into the alimentary tract in patients with gastric cancer]

Quantitative study of serum protein loss into the alimentary tract from the tumor of gastric cancer using 111Indium-transferrin (111In-Tf) was performed. Gamma counting of 111In-Tf excreted in feces and 111In-Tf scintigram were performed in 24 patients with gastric cancer and 10 controls. Transferrin was labelled by incubating 111MBq (3mCi) of 111In chloride with approximately 13ml of patient plasma in vitro. After intravenous injection of 111In-Tf, an aliquot was weighed and its radioactivity was measured in a gamma-counter. Feces were collected every 24hrs up to 72hrs. Then 111In in the feces was calculated as a percentage of the injection dose. 111In excreted in the feces within 72hrs in patients with gastric cancer was 3.71 +/- 3.87% (mean +/- SD), which was significantly higher than the 0.48 +/- 0.26% in 10 controls. 111In in feces correlated the area of the tumor in the stomach (p < 0.001). In 18 patients positive scan was recognized and was localized the protein loss in the cavity of the stomach within 10 minutes. Positive scan was found to move along the intestine successively. 111In-Tf can be useful in assessing of hypoproteinemia of gastric cancer.