On Mon, 18 Jun 2001, siobhan wrote:

>   Here are the reference sources I used to make this statement:
>
> 1)  Clinical Applications of Fatty Acid Profiling; Richard S. Lord, Ph.D and
> J. Alexander Bralley, Ph.D., C.C.N.
>
> " Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid.  It is two carbon atoms longer
> than palmitic acid and is similarly cholesterogenic..."

I think this claim is disputed.  See for example
http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/research/Stearic.htm  From what I have
read recently, stearic acid appears to be neutral in its effect
on cholesterol.

>   " Abnormal levels in erythrocyte membranes cause alteration in membrane
> fluidity.  Increased fluidity is associated with active tumor
> proliferation."

Stearic acid in membranes would tend to *decrease* fluidity.

> 2) Persad RA, Hillatt DA, Heinemann D, et al.  Erythrocyte stearic to oleic
> acid ratio in prostatic carcinoma.
>
>   " The ratio of stearic to oleic acids in red cell membranes has been found
> to be a strong indicator of the presence of malignant tissue as it reflects
> the lowered ratio found in malignant tissue cell membranes."

Yes, but they don't say (here) which way the ratio works.  The
above quotation suggests that a *lower* ratio of stearic to oleic
acid in membranes is indicative of malignancy.  In neither case
is their any indication of a causal role, incidentally.

Todd Moody
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