VITAMIN-A AND VITAMIN-E IN NEOPLASTIC DISEASE - SIMULTANEOUS SERUM ASSAY BY HIGH-PRESSURE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

Vitamins A and E play an important role against 'free radicals' (FRs). Their antioxidant action is evident in neoplastic disease (ND) that i s known to have a FRs pathology. This finding has been supported by pr evious research showing increased lipid peroxidation of the erythrocyt e membrane with increased permeability and higher hemoglobin susceptib ility to oxidative stress. Connections exist between the two vitamins and FRs lipid peroxidation of the membranes. In order to study A and E vitamin behaviour in ND, they were assayed in the sera of 88 cancer p atients versus 94 healthy subjects. In the 88 cancer cases, without co nsidering variables such as age, sex and smoking habits, the average a mount of vitamin A was 47.44+/-19.60 mu g/dl versus 71.77+/-18.30 in c ontrols (P<0.0001). The average amount of vitamin E was 1144.42+/-507. 45 in ND versus 1497.45+/-397.74 in controls (P<0.0001). The two vitam ins were simultaneously assayed in the same serum by high pressure liq uid chromatography. The method is rapid and gave exact and repeatable results. Reasons for vitamin decrease are discussed.