Evaluation of Serum Protein Carbonyl Levels and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Patients With Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is one of the most common types of human cancer. Since oxidative stress is believed to be one of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in BCC formation, understanding the probable relation of inflammatory, oxidative factors, such as serum protein carbonyl and total antioxidant capacity, to BCC can help identify other pathogenic aspects of this tumor. Forty cases of BCC and forty cases of healthy controls without BCC or any other systemic disease were included in this study. After 5-ml venous blood samples were obtained from each patient, the separated serum fractions were stored at -70° C until analysis. Serum protein carbonyl level in the BCC group was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls ((5.86±3.25 µM vs. 0.86±0.20 µM, P<0.001). The average serum total antioxidant capacity was 3.41±0.05 mM in the BCC group and 1.15±0.03 mM in the control group (statistically significant at P<001). Oxidative stress might play a role in the pathogenesis of BCC.