SELENIUM CONCENTRATIONS AND GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE ACTIVITIES IN BLOOD OF BREAST-CANCER WOMEN

Selenium concentration in whole blood and plasma and glutathione perox idase activity in red blood cells and plasma were determined in 52 bre ast cancer cases and 29 healthy women. The observed whole blood and pl asma selenium concentrations of healthy persons were 78.9 +/- 16.6 mu g/l and 65.0 +/- 12.8 mu g/l, respectively. Erythrocyte and plasma glu tathione peroxidase activities of this group were: 15.6 +/- 3.3 U/g Hb and 0.179 +/- 0.031 U/ml plasma. No differences were found between se lenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood of b reast cancer patients and matched control women. In the group of patie nts with advanced stage of breast cancer the concentration of selenium in whole blood and plasma was significantly higher than in an earlier stage of the disease. Thus, the present study does not suggest an ass ociation between selenium, glutathione peroxidase and breast cancer.