Vitamin C status in cancer patients and healthy subjects from the local population of Pokhara.

OBJECTIVES: To assess vitamin C status by determining plasma ascorbic acid level in 55 cancer patients and 55 matched normal subjects serving as control. METHODS: The proven cancer patients were selected from those attending Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara. Matched controls were from the staff of Manipal Teaching Hospital or attendants of the patients. Plasma ascorbic acid was determined by the method of Natelson. Unpaired student 't' test was used for the statistical evaluation. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 9 software. RESULTS: The mean level of vitamin C in normal subjects and patients was 1.03+/-0.26 mg/dl and 0.90+/-0.30 mg/dl respectively. None of the subjects in either group had deficient status (<0.2 mg/dl). Although its status was normal in both the groups but patients had lower level than normal subjects. Smokers and alcohol consumers had significantly lower level than non-smoker and non-alcoholics. CONCLUSION: In the local population, vitamin C deficiency is not an etiologic factor in malignancy. Smoking and alcohol adversely affects the status of this vitamin.