Differences of polyunsaturated fatty acid in patients with colorectal cancer and healthy people

Objective: This study aims to compare the difference of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) between patients with colorectal cancer and healthy people and analyze the effect of PUFA on colorectal cancer by testing serum of PUFA. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty-six healthy people and 79 patients with colorectal cancer were randomly chosen in Beijing, China. PUFA level was measured in two groups. According to different stages, sizes, degree of differentiation, lymph node metastases from patients with colorectal cancer, we compared metabolize situation of PUFA. Results: Total omega-6 PUFA level was higher in healthy people group than that in colorectal cancer group (25.77 +/- 3.21 vs. 26.86 +/- 1.65, P = 0.0125); moreover, arachidonic acid (AA) level was also higher in healthy people group than that in colorectal cancer group (5.02 +/- 1.32 vs. 6.08 +/- 1.26, P = 0.0344); total omega-3 PUFA level was lower in colorectal cancer group than that in healthy people group; furthermore, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was also lower in colorectal cancer group than that in healthy people group. AA and total omega-6 were significant differences between less than 5 cm of tumor size and more than 5 cm of tumor size (13.11 +/- 2.91 vs. 14.44 +/- 1.81, P < 0.05; 27.02 +/- 4.54 vs. 28.76 +/- 3.08, P < 0.05). Conclusion: PUFA level was significant difference between healthy people and colorectal cancer patients in the Chinese population. Tumor size probably had influence on the metabolism of PUFA.