Selenium, lipid, vitamin A and E state in children suffering from solid tumors

Epidemiological studies demonstrated inverse association between human canc er mortality and Se status. Case control studies detected low Se status in newly diagnosed cancer patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the Se state and part of the antioxidant capacity of paediatric tumor patients - in 86 children (age range 0.9-20 years) with solid tumors, namely neuroblas toma, germinal tumors and osteosarcoma - before chemotherapy was applied, d uring intensive and maintenance chemotherapy as well as in therapeutic inte rvals or in full recovery. Therapy protocols were used according to the Ger man Society of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology (NB 90 P, MAKEI BEP 89, COSS 90). Results of healthy children of similar age rang and sex ratio ser ved as controls. Whole blood and plasma Se were determined by AAS-HG. Simul taneously glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in erythrocytes and plasma were m easured. Phospholipids, cholesterols, triglycerides were determined by comm ercial KITs, vitamin concentrations were measured by HPLC. In newly diagnos ed tumor patients (n=15) irrespective of age, both Se parameters were signi ficantly lower compared to levels of healthy children or that of the recove red patients: 0.74 +/- 0.15 mu mol/L vs 1.01 +/- 0.18 in blood, 0.54 +/- 0. 15 mu mol/L vs 0.79 +/- 0.13 in plasma and GSH-Px activities 4.6 +/- 0.9 U/ gHb vs 6.2 +/- 1.2 in erythrocytes, 72 +/- 15 U/L vs 99 +/- 23 in plasma. L ipid components were not different but both total tocopherols (790 +/- 61 m u g/dL vs 1172 +/- 257) and retinol (50 +/- 12 mu g/dL vs 68 +/- 17) were h igher in the fully recovered patients than in the newly diagnosed tumor pat ients. During intensive chemotherapy (n=24) the Se state was similar to tha t of at the time of diagnosis being significantly lower than in healthy chi ldren. Under continuous maintenance chemotherapy (n=25) or in therapeutic i ntervals (n=10) Se concentrations increased by 30-40% spontaneously. Se con centrations were twice as high in the fully recovered, turner free patients than in the newly diagnosed group. In conclusion Se status, vitamin A and E concentrations are much lower in newly diagnosed tumor patients than in h ealthy children or in recovered tumor free patients. No Se supplementation was applied in this study.