Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in patients with carcinoma of prostate.

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer found in men above the age of fifty years and is frequently diagnosed in men between 45 and 89 years of age with a median age of 72 years. This work was undertaken to assess oxidative stress and anti oxidant status in patients with carcinoma of prostate. Glutathione (GSH), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) levels in Erythrocytes and plasma Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) levels were estimated in patients with carcinoma of prostate and compared to controls. It was observed that Erythrocyte GSH levels were significantly lower and Erythrocyte MDA & SOD levels were significantly higher in patients with carcinoma of prostate compared to controls. No significant change was observed in case of GST compared to controls. Oxidative stress may be involved in prostate cancer as evidenced by the higher MDA levels and lower GSH levels. The increased activity of antioxidant enzyme may be a compensatory regulation in response to oxidative stress.