Phospholipid fatty acid patterns in the mucosa of human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas

The incidence of colon cancer has increased remarkably in Korea during the last decade. Fatty acids in cell membranes have been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. Few studies have focused on the composition of the phospholipid (PL) fatty acids in the mucosa of colorectal adenomas and cancers. Thus, PL fatty acid patterns were studied in the colorectal mucosa of patients with colorectal adenomatous polyposis (n = 27) and colorectal cancer (n = 8), compared with healthy control subjects (n = 38). Significant increases in the ratios of ω6/ω3 and P/S and unsaturation index were observed in both the colorectal adenomatous polyps and cancerous tissues as compared with the normal tissues of the control subjects. Significantly higher ratios of C18:1/C18:0 and C20:4(n-6)/C20:3(n-6) were also observed in both groups of patients with cancer. In conclusion, although many questions still remain, the significant changes in mucosal PL fatty acid patterns observed in this study suggest that the PL fatty acids may have roles in human colorectal carcinogenesis.