The antioxidant status of the plasma in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

The aim of the present study was to investigate the status of oxidative stress in the serum of patients affected with cancer breast. Changes in the levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), uric acid, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (nitrite/nitrate), cupper and iron were measured in serum of patients affected by non-metastatic as well as metastatic cancer breast. Significant decrease in TAC (32.7% 37.5%), uric acid (28.1% 49.2%), MDA (20.7% 25.2%) and nitric oxide (50.4% 61.9%) were found in both groups of cancer breast patients compared to the control group. Serum Cu concentrations were significantly lower in metastatic cancer patient group compared with both control and non-metastatic cancer groups. Fe in serum was significantly lower in patients with non-metastatic cancer compared to normal subjects and patients with metastatic cancer. Significant differences were also observed between patients with non-metastatic and metastatic cancer breast as regards serum uric acid and nitric oxide that were lower in metastatic compared with nonmetastatic cancer breast.