RESUMO
AIM OF THE WORK: To investigate whether a mixture of antioxidant supplementation can ameliorate damaging effects of ionizing radiation in cancer cervix patients during radiotherapy Accordingly apoptosis, lipid peroxides and Fas among cancer cervix patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy (n=40) were measured before and after administration of a mixture of antioxidants including 60 mg vitamin C, 10 mg vitamin E, 1000 IU vitamin A and 50 mg Selenium. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were divided into 2 groups each of 20 patients. Antioxidant mixture was administered to one group thrice per day during the duration of radiotherapy and one more week post cessation of radiotherapy. Twenty normal healthy women participated as controls. RESULTS: Results revealed that following the first and second sessions of radiotherapy, both the groups with and without antioxidant administration showed higher frequency of lipid peroxidation and the frequency of micronuclei compared to their level before radiotherapy as measured 24 hours and 48 hours post first session of radiotherapy. Patients undergoing radiotherapy showed a decrease in all parameters of the study after one-week, one-month post irradiation and one week post cessation of radiotherapy. However, the antioxidants group showed significantly lower levels of apoptosis and lipid peroxides and Fas compared to patients who did not receive antioxidant supplementation. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study reveals adaptation to radiation during radiotherapy and evaluate the prophylactic effect of a mixture of antioxidants during radiotherapy.