[Content of vitamins E and A in tumor tissue in kidney cancer]

Vitamin E was quantified in tumor tissue obtained from 17 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The tumors consisted of two groups: (I) represented primarily by clear cells (10 cases) and (II) without predominant appearance of those cells (7 cases). Vitamin E concentration in tumor tissue was compared with that in intact tissue sites of the kidney. The vitamin content in intact renal medulla was shown to be 1.5 times higher than in intact cortex. Vitamin E level in group I tumors was shown to be on average 15 and 10 times as much as in intact renal cortex and medulla, respectively. The vitamin concentration in group II tumors, as compared with the above intact renal tissues, was 7- and 5-fold higher, respectively. In spite of the high tumor total lipids levels, the vitamin E concentration, calculated per mg total lipids, was still higher in tumor tissue than in the normal renal tissues. This finding was especially demonstrable for the group I tumors. In the benign renal tumor angiomyolipoma vitamin E concentration, calculated on a wet weight basis, was higher than in intact renal tissue, but no differences were observed when a per total lipids calculation was performed. Vitamin A concentration determined in the tumor samples obtained from 6 patients was the same as in intact cortex.