Factors influencing the acute phase protein levels in patients with esophageal cancer.

Based on the findings that the enhancement of serum alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) is associated with the occurrence of infectious complications following surgery in patients with esophageal cancer, we examined possible factors which could contribute to the alterations of serum acute phase protein levels in patients with this disease. A multiple linear regression analysis was made for 71 patients with esophageal cancer and 58 with gastric cancer. In patients with esophageal cancer, protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) and age factors more strongly contributed to the alteration of 6 acute phase protein levels than did the malignant tumor when compared to those with gastric acner. PCM was negatively associated with A2M levels while it was positively associated with alpha 1-acidglycoprotein (A1AG) and haptoglobin (Hp) levels. Age did not contribute to the A2M levels but did have a negative effect on the Hp, ceruloplasmin (Cp) and fibronectin (Fn) levels. On the other hand, the malignant tumor was positively related only to the A1AG levels. Since none of these factors contributed to the elevation of A2M levels, it is suggested that the presence of chronic infection might be a factor contributing to the A2M increase which was associated with the occurrence of postoperative infectious complications in patients with this disease.