Some observations on the oxidation phenotype status of Nigerian patients presenting with cancer

The hypothesis is being explored that there may be an association between genetically determined oxidation status and propensity to develop carcinoma in response to environmental chemical carcinogens. For this purpose, the genetic structure of a normal, healthy Nigerian population with respect to oxidation status, has been compared with that found for a group of 59 Nigerian patients presenting with carcinoma of the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Genetically determined oxidation status was assessed by measuring the extent of oxidation of a probe drug, debrisoquine, to its major metabolite, 4-hydroxydebrisoquine. The cancer group contained a disproportionately large number of individuals who were extensive oxidizers compared to the controls (2 P = 0.0045). The findings support the view that genetically determined oxidation status may be an important host factor in influencing responsiveness to chemical carcinogens that require oxidative metabolic activation.