Folate metabolism in man: the effect of malignant disease.

The metabolism of [2-14C]+[3', 5', 7, 9-3H] folic acid and [214C]+[3', 5', 7, 9-3H] 10-formylfolate was studied in hospital inpatients. Metabolites detected in the urine after folic acid feeding included the unchanged compound, other folates and a number of breakdown products, such as p-acetamidobenzoyl-L-glutamate and p-acetamidobenzoate. This confirms the existence of a folate catabolic pathway in man. Patients with malignant disease excreted less of the dose in urine, incorporated more into the reduced folate pool, and showed decreased catabolism of folate, when compared to controls. 10-Formylfolate was excreted largely unchanged, and appears not to be reduced by man. Also 10-formylfolate interfered with the reduction of folic acid given simultaneously.