M López Vélez1, F Martínez Martínez2. 1. Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: msvelez@ugr.es. 2. Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: femartin@ugr.es.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We undertook the present study to investigate the possible relation between total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and tumor marker (TM) values in serum samples of patients with and without gastrointestinal tract and prostate tumors. DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured the TAC using trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assays in 80 serum samples: 20 presented elevated values of CA 19-9; 20 had elevated PSA levels and two groups of 20 samples had values within reference ranges respectively. RESULTS: Total antioxidant capacity - measured using the two different analytical methods - was higher in serum samples from patients with elevated CA 19-9 and PSA levels. This antioxidant status, measured by ORAC assay, correlated significantly with CA 19-9 (r: 0.502, P<0.05) and PSA (r:0.792, P<0.001) when the values of these tumor markers were pathological. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that increased serum TAC of the patients with altered levels of CA 19-9 and PSA may be due to the response of increased reactive oxygen species and can be considered as a sign of oxidative stress of these patients. We know that tumor markers are a useful tool for follow-up care of oncologic patients, whereas their role in the diagnosis of a malignancy is controversial. Therefore, the evaluation of serum antioxidant capacity in these pathological processes could contribute to improve diagnosis of these patients.
OBJECTIVES: We undertook the present study to investigate the possible relation between total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and tumor marker (TM) values in serum samples of patients with and without gastrointestinal tract and prostate tumors. DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured the TAC using trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assays in 80 serum samples: 20 presented elevated values of CA 19-9; 20 had elevated PSA levels and two groups of 20 samples had values within reference ranges respectively. RESULTS: Total antioxidant capacity - measured using the two different analytical methods - was higher in serum samples from patients with elevated CA 19-9 and PSA levels. This antioxidant status, measured by ORAC assay, correlated significantly with CA 19-9 (r: 0.502, P<0.05) and PSA (r:0.792, P<0.001) when the values of these tumor markers were pathological. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that increased serum TAC of the patients with altered levels of CA 19-9 and PSA may be due to the response of increased reactive oxygen species and can be considered as a sign of oxidative stress of these patients. We know that tumor markers are a useful tool for follow-up care of oncologic patients, whereas their role in the diagnosis of a malignancy is controversial. Therefore, the evaluation of serum antioxidant capacity in these pathological processes could contribute to improve diagnosis of these patients.