[Blood vitamin A contents in patients with stomach cancer].

Fluorimetric method was used to measure preoperative blood plasma-vitamin A level in 100 gastric cancer patients and 64 healthy controls. The data obtained were analyzed versus site, stage and anatomic growth pattern of tumor. Vitamin A level was found to significantly decrease in 66% of gastric cancer patients, these changes being the most apparent in stage III tumor involvement of two segments of the stomach and endophytic type of growth. It is recommended that measures to correct blood plasma-vitamin A deficiency be taken in stomach cancer patients throughout treatment period.