Biochemical Insights into Oxidative Stress in Colon Cancer Patients

The purpose of this research was to assess oxidative stress levels in colon cancer patients and examine their association with disease onset and progression. 176 individuals were recruited, comprising 106 colon cancer patients and 70 healthy controls. Serum oxidative stress marker levels of protein carbonyl (PCO), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT) were quantified. The tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19.9) were also evaluated. The levels of PCO, IMA, MDA, and GST were significantly increased (P < 0.01 for each) with a significant decrease in GPX and SOD levels (P < 0.01) when compared to the control group. No significant difference was noted in CAT levels. The tumor markers CEA and CA 19.9 were significantly increased in the patient group (P < 0.01). These results suggest an imbalance of oxidative/antioxidant status in favor of oxidative stress in patients with colon cancer. The study identifies oxidative stress as a major factor in the pathogenesis of colon cancer. Clinically, biomarkers such as IMA with more than 80% sensitivity can be powerful secondary aids to early detection or monitoring disease progression. The findings suggest that modulating oxidative stress would be therapeutic in the treatment of colon cancer.