Comparative Study of Serum Lipid Profiles in Nepalese Cancer Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital

Significant efforts have been made to study cancer at the biochemical and cellular level and identify factors associated with progression. The aim of this hospital based randomized comparative study at the Nepalese Army Institute of Health science hospital was to assess factors in 52 people diagnosed with different types of cancer and 56 normal control persons. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for serum total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). We found that biochemical parameter TC, TG, VLDL (very low density lipoprotein), LDL and HDL were significantly different in the cancer patients and healthy controls. Levels of TC, TG, LDL, HDL and VLDL were higher in the age group below 50 and that of TG was found to be higher in women than men. Our results indicate that TC, TG and HDL are increased, while LDL and VLDL are lowered in cancer patients. Our study provides clues to risk factors associated with life style, eating habits, and exercise regimens. Monitoring of these parameters with aging is recommended.