Annals of African Medicine
Home About AAM Editorial board Ahead of print Current Issue Archives Instructions Subscribe Contact us Search Login 
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2013  |  Volume : 12  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 131-134

Trace metals and total antioxidant potential in head and neck cancer patients


1 Department of Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
2 Department of Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Health sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
V I Akinmoladun
Department of Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State
Nigeria
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/1596-3519.112411

Rights and Permissions

Background/Objective: There are pieces of evidence suggesting that oxidative stress and immune responses play significant roles in the etiopathogenesis of some malignant diseases. Also increased oxidative stress in patients with certain cancer may result from changes in the levels of certain trace elements. Therefore antioxidants either in the form of trace metals or enzymes are important tools in the study of these conditions. This study aimed at measuring the level of oxidative stress in the head and neck cancer patients by using plasma total antioxidant potential and the plasma level of some antioxidant trace metals. Materials and Methods: Twenty cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma recruited from the Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and Radiotherapy clinics of the University College Hospital, Ibadan were included in the study. While total antioxidant status was measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay of Benzie and Strain (1996), the plasma trace metals were assayed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Result: The total antioxidant potential was significantly reduced in the study group when compared with controls. Zinc, iron, and selenium were also found to be significantly lower in the study group compared with controls. Conclusion: The result suggests a state of oxidative stress in the head and neck cancer patients with likely impact on disease process and treatment outcome.


[FULL TEXT] [PDF]*
Print this article     Email this article
 Next article
 Previous article
 Table of Contents

 Similar in PUBMED
   Search Pubmed for
   Search in Google Scholar for
 Related articles
 Citation Manager
 Access Statistics
 Reader Comments
 Email Alert *
 Add to My List *
 * Requires registration (Free)
 

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed4655    
    Printed191    
    Emailed3    
    PDF Downloaded10    
    Comments [Add]    
    Cited by others 7    

Recommend this journal