[Comparison of the vitamin A blood serum level in patients with head-neck cancer and healthy persons].

Serum vitamin A levels of 104 patients with head and neck cancer were analysed and compared with those of 74 normal subjects (standard values 1.1-3.7 micromol/l). Lower values of vitamin A (0.91 +/- 0.33-1.37 +/- 0.99) were found 2.4 times oftener in patients with stage III and IV disease. We were unable to determine whether the vitamin A deficiency is one of the possible causes of the cancer or the sequel of malnutrition and malignant cachexia due to reduced protein synthesis by the liver.