Table 1 Characteristics of patients and healthy individuals

n

393

202

Gender (%)

 Male

208 (52.9)

90 (44.6)

 Female

185 (47.1)

112 (55.4)

Age (years)

 Mean age

60.4

50.7

 Range

17–91

9–81

Cancer patients (%)

 Rectal carcinoma

203 (51.6)

 Breast carcinoma

101 (25.7)

 Lung cancer

34 (8.7)

 Head and neck tumours

21 (5.3)

 Melanoma

8 (2)

 Prostate Cancer

3 (0.8)

 Other

23 (5.9)