CLINICAL REMISSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH RESTORATION OF NORMAL HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH MALIGNANCIES

1. Serum lipids and lipoprotein profiles were determined in children a ffected by different types of malignancies (leukaemias or lymphomas an d solid tumours) both before any treatment and after remission of the disease following chemical or surgical therapy. 2. At the time of diag nosis, children bearing tumours showed hypertriglyceridaemia and reduc ed concentrations of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level s, the decrease being particularly prominent in patients with haematol ogical tumours. Children bearing solid tumours displayed an increase o f total cholesterol, while those with haematological cancer showed dec reased phospholipid levels; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in neo plastic patients was not significantly different from control values, High triacylglycerol and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol leve ls were also evident in cancer patients divided according to age into three groups (0-5, 6-10 and 11-15 years) when compared with age-matche d control subjects, Similarly, high triacylglycerol and low high-densi ty lipoprotein cholesterol levels were also observed in both male and female children when patients were divided according to sex and compar ed with corresponding controls. 3. Clinical remission after therapy wa s accompanied by an increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol l evels compared with values observed at diagnosis. In contrast, post-tr eatment levels of triacylglycerol were higher than those observed befo re therapy, These results support the hypothesis that alterations of h igh-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels may be related, at least in part, to the rate of tumour growth, while modifications of triacylgly cerol levels may be mediated by different mechanisms.