The Role of Serum Calcium in Assessing Metabolic Syndrome in Colorectal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The association of serum calcium with metabolic syndrome in colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely unknown. This study investigated the relationship between serum calcium and patients' clinical characteristics, as well as metabolic parameters in CRC patients. METHODS: CRC patients in Peking University People's Hospital from June 2015 to December 2018 were included; serum calcium, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), TC (total cholesterol), TG (triglyceride), FPG (fasting plasma glucose) and albumin were detected. An unpaired t test and covariance analysis were conducted to determine the difference of serum calcium in different groups. Correlation analyses (simple and partial) were carried out to evaluate the association of serum calcium with metabolic parameters. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifteen patients were recruited in the study. CRC patients with distal lesions had higher levels of total and corrected calcium than the proximal lesion group by adjusting for confounders, and patients with small tumor size, as well as with a history of diabetes, exhibited higher total calcium than their counterparts. Significant associations of total calcium with serum glucose and lipids were observed in CRC patients, and the correlation between total calcium and serum lipids was still significant by adjusting for confounders. Corrected calcium showed a significant correlation with LDL and TC but not with FPG, TG or HDL. CONCLUSIONS: Serum calcium, especially total calcium, might be more sensitive than FPG and lipids for metabolic syndrome in CRC patients.