[Significance of vitamins A and E in the cervical intraepithelial neopiasia--CEN].

UNLABELLED: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia--CIN affects women in their repro- ductive life period. CIN may proceed squamous cervical cancer. CIN is divided into: CIN1, CIN2, CIN3. CIN3 comprises cervical cancer in situ- CIS which is the true precancer state within the cervix. CIN, depending on grade may progress, regress or persist for many years. According to a few publication vitamins C, E and A may protect against carcinogenesis within the cervix. The aim of this paper was evalua- tion of vitamins A and E serum concentration of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia patients. The study material consisted of 289 women aged 25-60 years diagnosed with CIN and early invasive cervical cancer IA. The subjects of the study were selected amongst participants of National Cervical Cancer Screen- ing Program attending Department of Gynecology and Oncology of Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow. The control group consisted of 44 women aged 28-56 years diagnosed and treated in the same centre and period due to a non oncologic gynecologic conditions. Serum vitamin A and E was measured with HPLC method with ultraviolet detector (UV) (254 nm).

RESULTS: Medium serum vitamin A concentration in the study group was 2.67 ± 1.15 mg/l and was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in control group -3.81 ± 1.62 mg/l. Mean serum vitamin E concentration in the study group was 3.95 ± 1.93 mg/l and was also significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in control group (8.63 ± 2.84 mg/l). To conclude, the observed significantly lower vitamins A and E serum concentrations may be related to the cervical neoplasia process. The normal vitamin A and E serum levels may have a protective effect against cervical carcinogenesis.