Abstract
Depletion of cellular antioxidants can result from free radical formation due to normal endogenous reactions and the ingestion of exogenous substances and environmental factors. The levels of reactive oxygen species-(ROS-) scavenging enzymes such as SOD and glutathione peroxidase have been shown to be significantly altered in malignant cells and in primary cancer tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant status of patients with prostate disorders in South-East Nigeria to ascertain the possible role of depletion of antioxidants in prostatic degeneration. 104 subjects made up of 40 PCa patients, 32 with BPH, and 32 controls participated in this study. The levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamin C, and vitamin E were estimated using standard procedures. The results show that both the BPH and PCa patients had a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in GPX, SOD, vitamin C, and vitamin E levels compared to the control subjects. However, there was also a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in SOD and vitamin C levels in PCa patients when compared with the BPH group. This indicates that patients with BPH and prostate cancer have decreased antioxidant status and may benefit from micronutrient supplementation.
Highlights
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) are common urologic conditions in older men which affect the quality of life
The BPH showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels when compared with the control group but the levels were not as high as in PCa
Our results show that the antioxidant levels of both enzymatic (SOD and GPX) and nonenzymatic parameters were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the prostate cancer subjects when compared with the controls and this correlated inversely with high PSA values
Summary
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) are common urologic conditions in older men which affect the quality of life. The two conditions are considered as two distinct and unrelated diseases, several issues suggest possible linkages Both are hormone dependent, their incidence increases with age, and they often coexist in the same patients and are determined by a complex interaction of endogenous and exogenous factors [5]. There is no proven causal relationship between BPH and PCa ( both conditions may be associated with certain forms of hyperplasia), and BPH is not considered to be a premalignant lesion or a precursor of prostate carcinoma [6] Factors such as cellular senescence, inflammation, and oxidative stress have been described as key players in the process of prostate carcinogenesis [7]
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