CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM IRON AND FERRITIN IN PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL-CANCER

To clarify the significance of serum iron and ferritin as indicators o f iron loss caused by continuous bleeding, and, thus, to determine the ir value as markers of colorectal cancer, values for the two were comp ared in male patients with early and advanced colorectal cancer and ag e-matched male controls. The mean value of serum iron levels in patien ts with advanced colorectal cancer was significantly decreased compare d with values in patients with early colorectal cancer and controls, 5 0.5 +/- 38.6 mug/dl vs 93.0 +/-32.1 mug/dl and 107.1 +/- 32.9 mug/dl, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean value of serum ferritin levels in p atients with early and advanced colorectal cancer was also significant ly decreased compared with controls, 80.5 +/- 35.0 ng/ml (p < 0.01) an d 48.8 +/- 72.8 ng/ml (p < 0.001), respectively, vs 117.1 +/- 46.8 ng/ ml. However, there was no significant difference between mean serum ir on levels in patients with early colorectal cancer and controls. Eight een (78.3%) of the 23 patients with advanced colorectal cancer and 3 ( 16.7%) of the 18 patients with early colorectal cancer had serum iron levels below 85 mug/dl and serum ferritin levels below 60 ng/ml. Level s of both serum iron and ferritin, without clinically evident anemia, are useful indicators of advanced colorectal cancer.