The Evaluation of Blood Prooxidant–Antioxidant Balance Indicators and Cortisol Pre- and Post-Surgery in Patients with Benign Parotid Gland Tumors: A Preliminary Study

<b>Background:</b> The majority of parotid gland tumors are benign, e.g., pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and Warthin's tumor (WT). From a biomedical point of view, oxidative stress is of significant importance due to its established association with the initiation and progression of various types of cancer, including parotid gland cancers. This study aimed to assess whether blood prooxidant-antioxidant markers could aid in diagnosing and guiding surgery for recurrent malignancies after parotid tumor treatment. <b>Methods:</b> We examined patients (n = 20) diagnosed with WT (n = 14) and PA (n = 6) using histopathological verification and computed tomography (CT) who qualified for surgical treatment. Blood samples were taken before the surgery and again 10 days later for biochemical analysis. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx), the non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH and UA) and oxidative stress markers (MDA and TOS) were determined in the blood. The activities of CK and LDH and the concentrations of Cor and TAS were measured in the serum. Hb and Ht were determined in whole blood. <b>Results:</b> The patients' SOD, CAT, and GPx activities after surgery did not differ significantly from their preoperative levels. However, following surgery, their serum TOS levels were significantly elevated in all the patients compared to baseline. In contrast, the plasma MDA concentrations were markedly reduced after surgery. Similarly, the GSH concentrations showed a significant decrease postoperatively. No significant changes were observed in the CK and LDH activities, TAS concentrations, or levels of Hb, Ht and Cor following surgery. <b>Conclusions:</b> The surgical removal of salivary gland tumors did not result in a reduction in oxidative stress at 10 days after surgery. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of endogenous defense mechanisms in counteracting the oxidative stress induced by salivary gland tumors.