Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in the tumor and in the blood of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Reactive oxygen species play a key role in cancer development by inducing and maintaining the oncogenic phenotypes of cancer cells. In this study, we examined lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activities in the blood and in the tumor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Plasma malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, erythrocytes catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities have been measured in 30 untreated nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and 30 controls on one hand. On the other hand, tumor malondialdehyde level, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities have been measured in five nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and compared with four controls. The lipid peroxidation was confirmed in the plasma by the high levels of malondialdehyde and conjugated dienes (p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, significantly higher concentrations of malondialdehyde were found in biopsies compared to the control group (p<0.001). In erythrocytes, superoxide dismutase activity was higher in patients than in controls (p<0.05), while it was unchanged in the tumor (p>0.05). Both erythrocytes and tumor catalase activities were significantly lower in patients than in controls (p<0.001, respectively). Statistical studies have shown a positive correlation between malondialdehyde level and IgA antibodies level against Epstein–Barr virus capsid antigen (p<0.05). In conclusion, we reported the presence of an oxidative stress in the blood and in the biopsies of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients where Epstein–Barr virus seems to play a role.