Plasma Selenium Concentration and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Breast Cancer Patients Before and After Chemotherapy

The chemotherapeutic agents used for treatment of breast cancer areall shown to increase free oxygen radicals and generation of reactive oxygenspecies. the aim of this study was to evaluate effect of chemotherapy on plasmaselenium (se) concentration and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) activity in breastcancer patients.materials and methods: seventeen women in stage ii and iii breast cancer wererandomly selected from their population. plasma se was measured with graphitefurnace atomic absorption spectroscopy and gpx activity in erythrocyte by usingspectrophotometric at baseline (before chemotherapy) and after chemotherapy.normally distributed data was expressed as mean ± standard deviation. statisticalanalysis was performed using paired t-test.results: plasma se concentration before and after chemotherapy was in normalrange and no statistically difference was observed (156.23±25 ىg/l vs.145.23±23 ىg/l respectively). after chemotherapy, there was a significant(p<0.05) higher erythrocyte gpx activity, as compared to initial activity at baseline.(22.28±4 u/grhb vs. 26.39± 4 u/grhb respectively).conclusion: this study indicates that sufficient se could increase gpx activity withhave a protective effect against oxidative damages.