Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant status in stage (III) human oral squamous cell carcinoma and treated with radical radio therapy: influence of selenium supplementation.

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in oral carcinogenesis and has been found to be aggravated during radiotherapy. A great deal of attention has been focused on the possible therapeutic implications of selenium as a potent antioxidant. We determined whether selenium supplementation to radiation treated oral cancer patients render improvement in the antioxidant status against oxidative stress.