The Nutritional Status of Folic Acid in Persons with Leukemia and Its Possible Relation to Effects of Aminopterin Therapy

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Abstract
Folic acid excretion following test doses of the vitamin has been measured in 31 cases of leukemia. Although the percentage excretion values varied widely, the average values were significantly lower in cases of both chronic and acute leukemia than in a series of normal subjects. However, this evidence of depletion of body stores of folic acid occurred more frequently and with a greater degree of severity in cases of chronic leukemia, particularly, those with lymphocytic involvement. This suggests that the degree of folic acid nutritional depletion is related to the varying clinical results obtained with antagonist therapy in chronic and acute leukemia.