Circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxides and other anti-oxidants as putative markers in gynecological malignancies

Background: The chronome (from chronos, time, and nomos, rule), or time structure, of lipid peroxidation and anti-oxidant defense mechanisms may relate to prevention and curative chronochemotherapeutic efficacy and management. Patients and methods: Newly diagnosed women with gynecological malignancies (N=30), 30-60 years of age, and age-matched clinically healthy women (N=35) provided blood samples every 6 hours for 24 hours under standardized conditions. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities, and serum ascorbate, urate and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were determined. Results: Each variable underwent circadian variation (p≤0.002). Patients differed from controls by their overall chronome-adjusted mean value (MESOR) and by the circadian dynamics in the spectral element of their chronome. Conclusion: Chronomes of putative anti- and pro-oxidants should be mapped to explore their putative chemotherapeutic role as markers in cancer chronoprevention and management of established disease.