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Andrea Nacci, MD; Iacopo Dallan, MD; Luca Bruschini, MD; Antonio Claudio Traino, PhD; Erica Panicucci, PhD; Paolo Bruschini, MD; Valentina Mancini, MD; Ferdinando Rognini, MD; Bruno Fattori, MD

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008;134(12):1328-1333.

Objective  To determine plasma levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ in patients with laryngeal cancer and a control group.

Design  Analysis of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ levels in 25 consecutive untreated patients with laryngeal carcinoma and 80 healthy control participants. The study and control groups were subdivided into smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers, as well as drinkers and nondrinkers.

Intervention  The AxSYM system was used to measure total homocysteine levels, and the ARCHITECT system (both Abbott–Diagnostics Division) was used to measure folate and vitamin B₁₂ levels.

Main Outcome Measures  Homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ levels.

Results  The mean (SD) level of total homocysteine in patients with laryngeal carcinoma was 2.84 (1.62) mg/L vs 0.99 (0.24) mg/L in the control group (P <.001). The mean (SD) folate plasma level was 4.3 (2.2) ng/mL vs 7.9 (2.4) ng/mL (P <.001).

Conclusions  Metabolic alterations in homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ levels, especially hypofolatemia, could be associated with laryngeal cancer. Lengthier follow-up studies and larger groups of patients will help determine the real role of these metabolic alterations.

Author Affiliations: Third Otorhinolaringology Unit, Department of Neurosciences (Drs Nacci, Mancini, and Fattori), and Department of Experimental Pathology (Dr Panicucci), University of Pisa; Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria Pisana (Drs Dallan, L. Bruschini, P. Bruschini, and Rognini); and Medical Physics Unit, Department of Health Physics, University Hospital (Dr Traino), Pisa, Italy.

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