STATUS OF ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEMS IN HUMAN CARCINOMA OF UTERINE CERVIX

Lipid peroxides, glutathione content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were estimated in patients who had carcinoma of the uterine c ervix, and the values were compared with those of normal. The results showed a remarkable reduction in glutathione content and in the activi ties of catalase and superoxide dismutase in neoplastic tissue in stag es II, Ill and IV (P < 0.001) whereas the activities of glutathione pe roxidase and glutathione reductase were significantly lower in stage I II and IV patients than that of normal controls. The tissue level of l ipid peroxides and the activity of glutathione-S-transferase were foun d to be significantly higher than that of normals from stage II onward s. These observations suggested the impaired antioxidant status in car cinoma of the uterine cervix.