Selenium and oxidative stress in cancer patients

In order to identify the features of violations of free-radical processes in blood serum of 94 untreated cancer patients with different localization of the tumor (cancer of the stomach, colon, breast, ovarian, hemoblastoses) were determined selenium levels and indicators of oxidative stress (sum of metabolites of nitrogen - NOx, the level of superoxide dismutase - Cu/ZnSOD and malondiialdehyde-MDA, and the activity of catalase). In addition, 40 patients with malignant liver disease and clinical signs of liver failure in the early postoperative period was carried out a comparative evaluation of the efficacy of selenium-containing drug 'Selenaze' (sodium selenite pentahydrate). It was found that selenium levels in cancer patients by 25-30% below the norm of 110-120 mg/l at a rate of 73.0±2.6 mg/l. Low levels of NOx was detected in patients with all tumor localizations (22.1±1.1 mM, with normal range 28.4±0.9 mM). The exceptions were patients with extensive malignant process in the liver, in which the NOx levels were significantly higher than normal (p<0.001). The high level of NOx has a toxic effect on the hepatocyte, causing metabolic disorders and inflammatory-necrotic changes in the liver. Elevated levels of SOD and MDA in normal values of catalase activity was detected in all patients. The use of 'Selenaze' in postoperative patients with tumors of the liver increased selenium levels by 10-12%, which was accompanied by a decrease in the content of SOD and NOx, and contributed to earlier recovery of detoxic and synthetic liver function. These findings point to an intensification of oxidative stress and metabolic disorders in the malignant process, which is the basis for metabolic correction.