Serum Levels of 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine DNA in Patients with Breast Cancer and Endometrial Cancer with and without Diabetes Mellitus.

Blood levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured by enzyme immunoassay after overnight fasting in untreated breast cancer and endometrial cancer patients (N=170) of mainly postmenopausal age with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. The concentrations of 8-OHdG in patients with breast cancer were higher than in patients with endometrial cancer and in patients with breast cancer and diabetes in comparison with patients with breast cancer without diabetes. No correlations of blood 8-OHdG levels with glycemia, age, and clinical stage of disease were detected. In cancer patients with diabetes, the concentration of 8-OHdG increases proportionally to the increase in body mass index, though this does not lead to disappearance of the above differences between patients with breast cancer and endometrial cancer by the level of 8-OHdG. The causes of the trend to a less favorable course of tumor process in patients with breast cancer and diabetes in comparison with endometrial cancer and diabetes deserve further studies.