Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024523 (malabsorption)
 7,319 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Deterioration in nutritional status occurs late in the progress of cancers at certain sites, but at all stages in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Weight loss with decrease in body fat and muscle wastage, occurs to a varying degree. Superficially, the clinical condition resembles simple food deprivation. However, the derangements in metabolism are often and some patients show an elevated resting energy expenditure, disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and generally, a failure to adapt to reduced food intake, which is characteristic of cachexia. Cancer cachexia then becomes characterized by signs of marked negative energy and protein balance, including hypoalbuminemia, weight loss, and anemia. On the other hand, toxohormone extracted from tumor tissues was considered as the main cause to produce cancer cachexia. However, it has become clearer that cytokines, e.g. cachectin/TNF, IL-1, LT and IFN gamma play an important role to produce cachexia. Patients who are malnourished have an incidence of postoperative complications double that seen in adequately nourished patients. The effectiveness of cancer-chemotherapy is also different in nutritional status of patients. Although in patients requiring hyperalimentation, enteral nutritional support may feasible and enteral feeding has a distinct metabolic advantage compared with parenteral feeding, there is a definite role for total parenteral nutrition in patients who have severe chronic radiation enteritis, side effect of chemotherapy, weight loss and malabsorption. Tentative weight gain and correction of hypoalbuminemia without improving patient survival may be expected by this intravenous hyperalimentation.
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PMID:[Palliative therapy in cancer 2. Nutrition control]. 169 91

The diagnostic merits of CA 50 and of symptoms indicating pancreatic cancer (pain, jaundice, weight loss, malabsorption) were compared prospectively in 512 consecutive patients. Among the final diagnoses were: exocrine pancreatic cancer, 175; periampullary cancer, 44; other gastrointestinal cancer, 45; and chronic pancreatitis, 64 cases. The suspected diagnoses based on symptoms and signs were correct in 80% of the patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer, in 78% with periampullary, in 76% with other gastrointestinal cancer and in 90% with chronic pancreatitis. CA 50 was pathological in 96% of the cases with exocrine pancreatic cancer, in 70% with periampullary, in 78% with other gastrointestinal malignancies and in 36% with chronic pancreatitis. The sensitivity was 96%, specificity 48%, positive prediction 49% and negative prediction 96%, depending on cut-off level. The single CA 50 value was comparable to symptoms and signs regarding sensitivity and negative prediction. In 28 of 42 cases incorrectly clinically classified, CA 50 alone indicated a benign or malignant diagnosis. If both the modalities 'signs and symptoms' and CA 50 were combined, the sensitivity was 91%, the specificity 92%, the positive prediction 86% and the negative prediction 95%. The initial CA 50 value can help to indicate in which patients a pancreatic malignancy should be suspected.
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PMID:Tumour marker CA 50 levels compared to signs and symptoms in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. 915 91

The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is 2 percent in adult men, 9 to 12 percent in non-Hispanic white women, and nearly 20 percent in black and Mexican-American women. Nine percent of patients older than 65 years with iron deficiency anemia have a gastrointestinal cancer when evaluated. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends screening for iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women but not in other groups. Routine iron supplementation is recommended for high-risk infants six to 12 months of age. Iron deficiency anemia is classically described as a microcytic anemia. The differential diagnosis includes thalassemia, sideroblastic anemias, some types of anemia of chronic disease, and lead poisoning. Serum ferritin is the preferred initial diagnostic test. Total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, serum iron, and serum transferrin receptor levels may be helpful if the ferritin level is between 46 and 99 ng per mL (46 and 99 mcg per L); bone marrow biopsy may be necessary in these patients for a definitive diagnosis. In children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age, a trial of iron is a reasonable approach if the review of symptoms, history, and physical examination are negative; however, the hemoglobin should be checked at one month. If there is not a 1 to 2 g per dL (10 to 20 g per L) increase in the hemoglobin level in that time, possibilities include malabsorption of oral iron, continued bleeding, or unknown lesion. For other patients, an endoscopic evaluation is recommended beginning with colonoscopy if the patient is older than 50.
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PMID:Iron deficiency anemia. 1972 82

A general overview is given of the causes of anemia with iron deficiency as well as the pathogenesis of anemia and the para-clinical diagnosis of anemia. Anemia with iron deficiency but without overt GI bleeding is associated with a risk of malignant disease of the gastrointestinal tract; upper gastrointestinal cancer is 1/7 as common as colon cancer. Benign gastrointestinal causes of anemia are iron malabsorption (atrophic gastritis, celiac disease, chronic inflammation, and bariatric surgery) and chronic blood loss due to gastrointestinal ulcerations. The following diagnostic strategy is recommended for unexplained anemia with iron deficiency: conduct serological celiac disease screening with transglutaminase antibody (IgA type) and IgA testing and perform bidirectional endoscopy (gastroscopy and colonoscopy). Bidirectional endoscopy is not required in premenopausal women < 40 years of age. Small intestine investigation (capsule endoscopy, CT, or MRI enterography) is not recommended routinely after negative bidirectional endoscopy but should be conducted if there are red flags indicating malignant or inflammatory small bowel disease (e.g., involuntary weight loss, abdominal pain or increased CRP). Targeted treatment of any cause of anemia with iron deficiency found on diagnostic assessment should be initiated. In addition, iron supplementation should be administered, with the goal of normalizing hemoglobin levels and replenishing iron stores. Oral treatment with a 100-200 mg daily dose of elemental iron is recommended (lower dose if side effects), but 3-6 months of oral iron therapy is often required to achieve therapeutic goals. Intravenous iron therapy is used if oral treatment lacks efficacy or causes side effects or in the presence of intestinal malabsorption or prolonged inflammation. Three algorithms are given for the following conditions: a) the paraclinical diagnosis of anemia with iron deficiency; b) the diagnostic work-up for unexplained anemia with iron deficiency without overt bleeding; and c) how to proceed after negative bidirectional endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract.
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PMID:Diagnosis and treatment of unexplained anemia with iron deficiency without overt bleeding. 2587 36

Acute and chronic gastrointestinal problems are common in the setting of excessive alcohol use, and excessive alcohol use is associated with injury to all parts of the gastrointestinal tract. There is mounting evidence of gastrointestinal injury and increased cancer risk even from moderate alcohol consumption. The major causes of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality within the gastrointestinal system are liver disease, pancreatitis and gastrointestinal cancer. Other alcohol-related intestinal dysfunction is common but not life-threatening, leading to diarrhoea, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. This review describes non-neoplastic and neoplastic alcohol-related disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, omitting the liver, which has been reviewed elsewhere.
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PMID:Alcohol use disorder and the gut. 3251 12