Altered amino acid homeostasis and the development of fatigue by breast cancer radiotherapy patients: A pilot study

作者：Dunstan R Hugh^*; Sparkes Diane L; Macdonald Margaret M; Roberts Tim K; Wratten Christopher; Kumar Mahesh B; Baines Surinder; Denham J W; Gallagher Sarah A; Rothkirch Tony

来源：Clinical Biochemistry, 2011, 44(2-3): 208-215.

DOI：10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2010.10.002

• Fatigue
• Amino acids
• Radiotherapy
• Breast cancer

Objectives: To examine altered amino acid homeostasis as a predisposing factor of fatigue in female radiotherapy breast cancer patients.
Design and methods: Participants underwent breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant breast irradiation and were free from significant fatigue pre-radiotherapy. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy fatigue subscale was used to assess fatigue pre- and post-radiotherapy. Blood biochemistry factors and urinary and plasma amino acid levels were measured.
Results: One third of 27 patients developed fatigue and were designated as the fatigued cohort. It was possible to differentiate between fatigued subjects pre- and post-radiotherapy based upon their urinary amino acid profiles. Univariate analysis supported altered amino acid homeostasis within the fatigued cohort. Urinary levels of histidine and alanine were increased pre-radiotherapy whilst threonine, methionine, alanine, serine, asparagine and glutamine levels were higher after 5 weeks of radiotherapy for the fatigued cohort.
Conclusions: Fatigue was accompanied by altered amino acid homeostasis with increased amino acid excretion suggestive of a catabolic response.

• 出版日期2011-2