A Study on the Antioxidant Defense System in Breast cancer Patients.

Abstract

Hospital based case control study carried out for reduced Glutathione levels (GSH), Superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), Total Antioxidant Potential (AOP), Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Nitrate levels in a  major referral hospital in Kashmir, North India involving patients with breast cancer (N=40) and healthy Controls (N=20). Patients with history of drug use or some other similar disorder which might influence antioxidant enzyme activity were not included in the study. The results were analyzed statistically using the Student’s t-test for unpaired variables. MDA, SOD and nitrite levels were increased in breast cancer patients as compared to controls (p<0.005, P<0.01 and P<0.05) respectively. GSH, and AOP levels in plasma of breast cancer patients were low as compared to healthy voluntary controls (P<0.005 and p<0.005). Increased oxidative stress in patients is indicated by increased SOD activity and is evident by depleted GSH levels and AOP.

Key words: Reduced glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Antioxidant potential (AOP), Malondialdehyde (MDA).