THE VITAMIN E LEVELS DURING PROSTATE CANCER RADIOTHERAPY

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men and is associated with environmental risk factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking, both of which contribute to oxidative stress. Radiotherapy, a widely used treatment for prostate cancer, causes damage not only to tumor cells but also to adjacent healthy tissues, resulting in undesirable side effects due to the increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, have the potential to mitigate these effects because of their ability to neutralize ROS and protect cell membranes. This retrospective and longitudinal study evaluated the serum levels of vitamin E in 35 patients undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer between 2019 and 2022. Vitamin E concentrations were measured both before (T0) and after (T1) treatment using high-performance liquid chromatography. A significant reduction in vitamin E levels was observed after radiotherapy (p < 0.0001), with 54.3% of patients showing levels below normal at T1. Factors such as higher body mass index (BMI) and non-smoking status were associated with better preservation of vitamin E levels, while lower levels correlated with greater genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity. Therefore, monitoring serum vitamin E levels during radiotherapy is important for minimizing adverse effects and improving the quality of life of patients.