T Nagamma
Manipal University, India
Title: Status of oxidative stress and antioxidant levels in smokers with breast cancer from western Nepal
Biography
Biography: T Nagamma
Abstract
This study was conducted in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in Nepal. The major risk factors contributing to breast cancer are menarche at early age, having first pregnancy at late age, obesity, lifestyle changes and family history. Smoking is one of the major lifestyle risk factor. The tobacco leaf contains about 7000 toxic chemical species, 20 of which are established as mammary carcinogens. Smokers are more exposed to free radicals. These free radicals cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA that can results in cancer. Study included a control group of 42 females (non-smoking healthy women) and test group was divided into two groups Group I consisting of 46 female breast cancer patients who were smokers and Group II consisting of 42 non-smoking breast cancer patients. Detailed history of the patients was collected with the help of pre-test proforma. Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant activity (TAA), which represents its total dietary antioxidants, vitamin C and α- tocopherol were estimated by standard methods. The plasma MDA, TAA, vitamin C and α- tocopherol were respectively. Vitamin C, α- tocopherol and TAA were significantly reduced whereas MDA was significantly raised in Group-I when compared to controls and Group-II. We observed a significant rise in oxidative stress and low levels of antioxidants in breast cancer patients with smoking habit. It is well known that free radicals facilitate the progression of breast cancer, possibly increases the risk of progression to the next stage. The key issues like how the smoke is affects the oxidative stress and it increasing the incidence of breast cancer in Nepali women will be discussed during presentation.