FREE RADICAL ACTIVITY IN PATHOGENESIS OF BRAIN TUMORS

Aim of study. Analysis of free radical activity of neoplastic tissue and blood in malignant and benign neoplasms of the brain. Materials and Methods. Study of free radical activity included quantitative detection by a method of induced biochemiluminescence on the biochemiluminometer БХЛ-07, coupled with IBM computer. Statistical processing of the data was carried out using Biostat 4.3 program. The subject of the study was blood and postoperative material of brain neoplasms of 12 patients with malignant brain tumors (glioma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma), and of 7 patients with benign brain tumors (meningioma, subependymoma) taken before treatment. For control the brain tissue of individuals was used who died in result of trauma, and blood of 10 healthy people. As a model of hypoxia, the brain tissue of 7 individuals was studied who died from cardiovascular insufficiency. Results. Free radical activity was significantly higher in tissues of malignant and benign neoplasms of the brain in comparison with control group. However, the level of free radicals in tissue of malignant tumors was much higher (4.2 times that of control) than of benign tumors – 2.5 times that of control. Free radical activity of blood plasma in case of malignant neoplasms of the brain was 15 times that in practically healthy individuals and 2.5 times that in case of benign tumors. An interesting result of the study was the fact that free radical activity of brain tissue in people who died from cardiovascular failure and who had chronic brain hypoxia was significantly higher than in those who died from trauma. Conclusion. Determination of free radical activity of blood can be used for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant brain tumors.