Affiliations: Department of Biochemistry, Ain Shams Faculty of
Medicine, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt | Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Ain Shams
Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Abbassia, Cairo,
Egypt
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Salah T. Fayed, MD., Department of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Abbassia, Cairo,
11566, Egypt, Fax: +20 2 285 9928, E-mail: ahmed_kassim@usa.net
Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS), represented by superoxide, hydrogen
peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, have been implicated in many diseases including
cancer. ROS have been known to play an important role in the
initiation and promotion of multistep carcinogenesis. The cellular
antioxidants play a crucial role in protection against neoplastic
disease. However, very little is known about the antioxidant defense
in cervical carcinoma. This is addressed in the present
study. Lipid peroxides, glutathione content and the activities of
antioxidant enzymes, together with vitamin C and E content, were estimated in
patients who had carcinoma of the cervix, and the values were compared with
those of normal women. The results showed a remarkable reduction in
the content of glutathione, vitamin E and C. Activities of
glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also reduced in cervical
cancer compared to normal controls (P < 0.001). This
reduction was more marked in late stages (III, IV) than in early stages (I, II)
(P < 0.001). Glutathione was reduced more in poorly
differentiated tumors (grade III) than in well and moderately differentiated
ones (grade I, II) (P < 0.05). Levels of lipid
peroxides were found to be significantly higher in malignant than in normal
tissue samples and their levels were correlated with advanced clinical stage
(P < 0.001). Our results suggest impaired antioxidant
status in carcinoma of the cervix. This impairment is related to
tumor progression.
