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Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 26, No. 1, 49-56 (2007)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

Post-Therapy Profile of Serum Total Cholesterol, Retinol and Zinc in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Chanda D. Gokhale, PhD, Shobha A. Udipi, PhD, Ramkrishna Y. Ambaye, PhD, Suresh K. Pai, MD and Suresh H. Advani, MD

University Department of Food Science and Nutrition, S.N.D.T. Women's University (C.D.G., S.A.U.)
Research Projects in Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, University of Mumbai Institute of Chemical Technology (R.Y.A.)
Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital (S.K.P.)
Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, INDIA (S.H.A.)

Address correspondence to: Dr. C. D. Gokhale, Dept of Food Science and Nutrition, Dept of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Home Science, S.N.D.T. Women's University, Juhu, Mumbai—400049, INDIA. E-mail: agashechanda{at}rediffmail.com

Objective: To assess serum albumin, total cholesterol, retinol, zinc and hemoglobin in children who had completed treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Methods: The above parameters were analyzed in 105 ALL and NHL and 108 age and sex-matched controls. Serum albumin, serum cholesterol and hemoglobin were estimated by colorimetric methods. Serum retinol was estimated by HPLC and serum zinc was estimated by atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP-AES). Comparisons were made to stage of treatment (maintenance 6 with post-therapy), type of treatment (chemotherapy and radiation with only chemotherapy) and type of malignancy (ALL with NHL).

Results: Only serum albumin in patients included at Maintenance6 was significantly higher (t = 2.31, p = 0.05) than post-therapy patients. No significant difference in serum values was observed by type of treatment. Only total cholesterol was significantly higher in NHL patients than in ALL patients (t = 1.954, p = 0.05). Patients had comparable serum levels to that of controls. However, in patients and controls more than 75% children had deficient serum retinol levels, (< than 0.6989 µmol/l, or 20 µg/dl). Further, 75% patients and 54.7% controls had serum retinol levels less than 0.3439 µmol/l or 10 µg/dl.

Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that cancer and its treatment did not have any long-lasting effect on serum albumin, total cholesterol, retinol, zinc and hemoglobin. Majority of subjects had low serum retinol suggestive of depleted liver reserves. The deficient serum retinol levels (< than 0.6989 µmol/l, or 20 µg/dl) in at least 75% of the patients and controls probably reflect poor dietary intake. A higher percentage of patients with low serum retinol levels may also be attributed to the possibility of urinary losses of retinol that occur during episodes of infection while on immunosuppressive anti-cancer drug therapy.

Key words: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, children, India






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