ANTIOXIDATIVE BIOMARKERS AND CANCEROGENESIS

Summary: Cancer development includes three major steps, initiation, promotion and progression, in which oxidative stress is involved. Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance between the levels of prooxidants and antioxidants in favour of the former and resulting in irreversible cell damage. We examined the lipid peroxidation levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in women diagnosed with different forms of uterine cell transformations in order to evaluate the extent of oxidative stress in the blood of such patients. Blood samples of healthy subjects and gynecological patients were collected and subjected to assays for superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and lipid hydroperoxides. The results show that alterations of the measured parameters vary with the enzyme type and diagnosis. However, both reduction in antioxidants and elevation of lipid peroxidation were observed in general. In addition, lipid hydroperoxide levels were negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, as well as positively correlated with catalase activity. The obtained results also show that perturbation of the antioxidant status is more pronounced in blood of patients with premalignant (hyperplastic) and malignant (adenocarcinoma) lesions, compared to those with benign uterine changes such as polypus and myoma.