Lipid peroxidation in cerebral tumors

Background: Serum and tissue concentrations of tumor markers or some metabolites are considered to be helpful in diagnosis and follow-up of the central nervous system (CNS) disease. However, markers currently available are not sufficiently sensitive and specific to be used as actual diagnostic tools. Differentiation between the malignant and benign lesions of the CNS is very important, both for determining the optimum therapeutic approach and to predict morbidity and mortality of the disease. Accurate diagnosis of a malignant disease is mostly performed through a surgical resection and histopathologic evaluation. Free oxygen radicals (FOR) are thought to take part in oncogenesis and cellular differentiation. We explored whether FORs can be used as diagnostic tumor markers. Methods: We investigated the concentration of malondialdehyde (NIDA) in the serum and tumor tissue of patients with glial tumor. We have studied 30 patients with malign glial tumor (grades III and IV astrocytoma), 30 patients with low grade glial tumor, 28 healthy individuals, and 10 patients with nontumorous lesions (lobectomy for epilepsy). Results: Patients with CNS tumors showed higher serum MDA concentration compared to control groups (epilepsy patients and healthy subjects). These patients had a higher tumor tissue MDA concentration compared to lobectomy tissue from epilepsy patients. Serum and tissue MDA concentrations were also higher in the malignant glial tumor group compared to the low grade glial tumor group. Conclusions: Although not specific, tissue and serum Concentrations of FORs can be used as a marker to detect the presence and grade of CNS tumors. Further studies are needed to determine the optimum cutoff value for use of serum and tissue MDA concentrations in brain tumors. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.