Significance of the Plasma Lipid Profile in Cases of Carcinoma of Cervix: A Tertiary Hospital Based Study

Aims: To study alterations of plasma lipid profiles in carcinoma cervix and to assess significance comparedwithcontrols in different histological grades and stages. Materials and
Methods: Totals of 99 histopathologicallydiagnosed cases and 35 controls from a tertiary hospital situated in the southern part of India which caters therural and semi-urban populations were considered for the study. Fasting blood samples were taken to analyze totalcholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoproteinscholesterol (LDL-C), for comparison of cases, grouped according to histological grades and stages, and controls.One way ANOVA was used for multiple group comparisons and the Student’s t test (unpaired) for group wisecomparisons. For all tests a ‘p’ value of 0.05 or less was considered as significant.
Results: Out of 99 cases, most(n-39) were seen in the 40-49 year age group followed by 60-69 years (n-22). Serum TG significantly differedbetween cases and controls but without any relation to differentiation grade. The lipid profile parameters invarious grades of cervical cancer were not statistically significant. Statistically significant increase of TC andLDL-C values was observed with increase in stage of the disease.
Conclusions: The study showed TG is elevatedin cervical cancer, and that TC and LDL-C are proportional to the spread of cancer as it increases from stageI to stage IV. An in-depth study of molecular changes in lipid metabolism in cervical cancer patients, enzymes/genes responsible and alterations in LDL receptors is necessary to provide information to decide whether thelipid profile has any diagnostic/prognostic role in cervical cancer.