title: Influence of alcohol consumption on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in cancer patients--case-control study from Western Nepal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study assess the effect of consumption of alcohol on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients suffering from different types of cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This hospital based case control study conducted in the Western part of Nepal covered a total of 93 cancer patients with or without alcohol intake and smoking habits, along with 94 age, sex and habit-matched individuals serving as controls. Plasma thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS), total antioxidant activity (TAA), vitamin C, α-tocopherol and erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) were estimated and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TBARS level was found to be significantly higher (p≤0.001) in all types of cancer patients when compared to controls, being aggravated in alcoholics with a smoking habit. No statistical significance (p≥0.05) was observed in the level of vitamin C and α-tocopherol. GSH and TAA level were significantly decreased (p≤0.001) in all the groups except those who consumed both branded as well as homemade alcohol and non-alcoholics without smoking habit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol, irrespective of its commercial brand, increases oxidative stress in all types of cancer patients. This is even higher when alcohol intake is combined with a smoking habit. Decreased TAA and GSH are major risk factors for cancer development.
authors.affiliation: Department of biochemistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal, India. nagu7890@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagamma
authors.forename: Rinchen Doma
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bhutia
authors.forename: Daya Ram
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.forename: Saraswati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baxi
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009390:Nepal; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D000431:Ethanol; D005978:Glutathione; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid