Temporal patterns of lipid peroxidation product formation and antioxidants activity in oral cancer patients.

The aim of this study was to assess the temporal patterns of (the formation of) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the erythrocytes of ten healthy adult subjects and ten oral cancer patients of comparable age. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were assayed at 6-hour intervals using colorimetric methods. The Cosinorwin computer software program was used to analyse the characteristics of biochemical rhythms, such as acrophase, amplitude, and mesor (rhythms: acrophase, amplitude, mesor, etc.). There is a phase delay in erythrocyte thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels and enzymatic antioxidant activities in oral cancer patients as compared to healthy subjects. The desynchronisation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance production and enzymatic antioxidant rhythms reflected an alteration of circadian clock function in oral cancer patients and may require specific measures for chronotherapy.