title: Serum levels of alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and retinol in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between antioxidant vitamin levels and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). For this purpose, we measured the serum levels of 4 antioxidant vitamins, β-carotene, α-tocopherol, retinol, and ascorbic acid, in patients with environmentally induced MPM and in healthy controls from one tremolite village (Kureysler), the biggest erionite village (Tuzkoy) and Ankara. A total of 160 subjects were enrolled in the study, 42 (26.3%) diagnosed with MPM and 118 (73.7%) healthy subjects. A comparison was made between the MPM group and three control groups of which two were exposed and one was unexposed to mineral fibers. The study population consisted of 82 males (51%) and 78 females (49%) with a mean of age of 44.8±14 years (range; 20-65 years). Lowest levels of β-carotene, ascorbic acid, and α-tocopherol were found in MPM patients (MPM vs control groups combined, p<0.0001 for each antioxidant vitamin), without any relation to age or sex. There was no significant difference between the antioxidant levels of healthy controls of Tuzkoy and Ankara. In conclusion; our findings suggested an increased risk of MPM being associated with low levels of α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid in patients with MPM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Disease, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emri
authors.forename: Saadettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilickap
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kadilar
authors.forename: Meltem Gulhan
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Halil
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akay
authors.forename: Tanju
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Besler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012306:Risk; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid