Erythrocyte ascorbic acid and plasma vitamin E status in patients with carcinoma of prostate.

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer found in men above the age of fifty years and is frequently diagnosed in men between 45 and 89 years of age with a median age of 72 years. This work was undertaken to assess oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with carcinoma of prostate. Erythrocyte ascorbic acid and plasma vitamin E levels were estimated in patients with carcinoma of prostate and compared to controls. It was observed that there was a significant decrease in Erythrocyte ascorbic acid and plasma vitamin E levels in patients with carcinoma of prostate compared to controls. The decrease in the levels of antioxidant vitamins may be due to the increased turnover for preventing the oxidative damage in these patients.