Vitamin B and Antioxidants in Relation to Treatment Duration in Cervical Cancer Patients in Ibadan

Abstract

In this study we evaluated the variations in vitamin B namely cyanocobalamin, folate and pyridoxine, choline,protein and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity in cervical cancer patients at pretherapy, when patients showed up at the clinic and at various times after the commencement of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (using one month and two months respectively). The subjects comprised 32 patients who had visited the Department of Radiotherapy and had been diagnosed with cancer of the cervix (cervical cancer) and 32 age matched control.There was a significant (ρ<0.05) decrease in the B vitamins and choline in the different groups relative to control.There was a marked variation in plasma protein at two months compared to control and G6PD significantly decreased (ρ<0.05) at one month and two months of treatment relative to control. The study showed the relationship between low levels of vitamin B group, choline, G6PD and plasma protein with cancer progression and changes accompanying treatment and a probable need for supplementation with immune boosters during therapy.