The influence of surgical treatment and red blood cell transfusion on changes in antioxidative and immune system parameters in colorectal cancer patients

Objective. To determine the effect of surgical treatment and red blood cell transfusion on the parameters of antioxidative and immune systems in patients with early and advanced stage colorectal cancer. Material and methods. A total of 65 patients with colorectal cancer were included in the study. Three blood serum samples of each patient were tested comparing presurgical and postsurgical periods of 7 and 14 days. Malondialdehyde and total glutathione levels, activity of catalase and glutathione S-transferase were determined spectrophotometrically. The concentration of cytokines TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha were determined by ELISA. Results. Malondialdehyde and glutathione levels decreased in surgically treated patients with cancer of both stages while catalase activity decreased in patients with stage III cancer. Cytokine levels did not change after surgery. A decrease in malondialdehyde concentration was observed in the transfused patients with early stage cancer comparing postsurgical periods. Catalase activity was increased after surgery in patients with early stage cancer but was decreased during postsurgical periods in patients with advanced stage cancer. Cytokine levels increased at postsurgical periods in transfused patients with stage III cancer. Correlation between catalase activity and TNF-alpha level and between glutathione S-transferase activity and TGF-beta1 level was determined postsurgically in transfused patients with early stage cancer. Conclusions. Postsurgical period affected antioxidative system of patients with cancer of both stages while level of cytokines showed no differences. Transfusion determined distinct dynamics of antioxidative parameters due to cancer stage. Elevated cytokine levels in transfused patients with advanced stage cancer showed that the status of immune system was exacerbated. Antioxidative and immune systems were depressed in these patients. Correlation between antioxidative system parameters and cytokines in transfused patients of early stage cancer showed a relationship between two protective systems of the organism against malignant process

ŽIV infekuotų nėščiųjų antioksidacinės sistemos būklė.

All pregnant women were compared with non-pregnant women to confirm the influence of pregnancy on the MDA level. In the first trimester, this parameter for pregnant women was close to that of non-pregnant women, while with the developing pregnancy the MDA level increased 1.6 times. No significant difference in the parameter was determined for pregnant women with HPV infection. Conclusions. A decrease of GSH concentration and an increase of MDA level in blood plasma with the development of pregnancy confirmed the presence of a general oxidative stress. The lower levels of GSH and GSH + GSSG in the cervicovaginal washing fluid, if to compare the two trimesters of pregnancy, can be considered as markers of a local oxidative stress. HPV infection depressed the antioxidative system in general and did not affect it at the local level. Systemic oxidative stress, rather than HPV infection, influenced the lipid peroxidation process during pregnancy. The level of MDA is recommended to be tested also during a normal pregnancy, although this parameter should not be considered as an additional biomarker of cervical carcinoma risk. Changes of the antioxidative system variables could induce a deep oxidative imbalance during a pathological pregnancy, and oxidative stress might cause a persistent HPV infection, suggesting the importance of the additional screening of HPV-infected women after delivery