Total antioxidant capacity and certain cytokines in patients with bladder Cancer

Objectives: Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most widespread cancers distressing men and women and thus has a philosophical impact on health care. An extensive variability in the occurrence of BC reflects its multifactorial with polygenic etiology. Antioxidants play an essential role in protection of the cells from oxidative damage. Antioxidant defense can be affected in cancer. TNF-α is one of the major mediators of inflammation and has been linked to all steps involved in tumor genesis, including cellular transformation, promotion, survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Tumor cells secrete their own TNF-α in anticrime manner which further enhance the expression of other growth factors such as transforming growth factor (TGF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum total antioxidant capacity, TNF-α, TGF-β levels in patients with bladder cancer. Methods: fifty patients with bladder cancer and 20 controls were enrolled in the study. Serum TAC, TNF-α, TGF-β levels were determined. Findings: Serum TAC, TNF-α and TGF-β were significantly elevated in BC over that of the control (p = 0.0001). Data analysis according to the grade of the disease show a significant difference among high grade, low grade & control groups with significant differences in TAC, TNF-α and TGF-β levels between high and low grade groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that increased TNF-α and TGF-β with decreased antioxidant levels may be, in part, play a role in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer and may help in diagnosis, treatment and follow up of bladder cancer patients in the future.