Ethics code: INTI-FHLS-03-01-2021
History
Received: 2025/02/18 | Accepted: 2025/07/18 | Published: 2025/04/21
How to cite this article
Farah J. Hasan Alhnon, Firas A. Hassan. The Impact of Chemotherapy on Antioxidant Vitamins in Lymphoid Cancer: A case- control Study from Iraq. Iran J War Public Health 2025; 17 (2) :1001-1011
URL:
http://ijwph.ir/article-1-1554-en.html
Rights and permissions
1- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Jadriya, Baghdad, Iraq, , chemfrh@gmail.com
2- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Jadriya, Baghdad, Iraq
Abstract (113 Views)
Background: Lymphoid malignancies are increasingly prevalent in Iraq, where chemotherapy remains the principal treatment despite its association with oxidative stress. This study investigates the impact of chemotherapy on serum levels of antioxidant vitamins—C, E, and D3—in patients with lymphoma.
Methods: A case-control A study was carried out on 120 individuals sectioned to three groups: healthy controls (n=40), newly diagnosed untreated lymphoma patients (n=40), and lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy (n=40). Serum levels of vitamins C, E, and D3 were measured using ELISA, and statistical discrimination were applied via ANOVA, then Tukey's post hoc analysis. Diagnostic potential was assessed through ROC curve analysis.
Results: All lymphoma patients demonstrated significantly reduced serum concentrations of vitamins C, E, and D3 compared to controls (p < 0.0001). Chemotherapy-treated patients showed partial recovery in these levels, although values remained below normal. ROC analysis revealed strong discriminatory power for all three vitamins, especially vitamin D3, which emerged as a promising biomarker for disease presence and treatment monitoring.
Conclusion: Chemotherapy in lymphoma patients leads to partial improvement, but not normalization, of antioxidant vitamin levels. The observed deficiencies highlight the dual burden of cancer and treatment-related oxidative stress. Vitamins C, E, and D3 exhibit potential as diagnostic indicators and may serve as adjunct markers for clinical assessment. These findings underscore the need for routine nutritional evaluation and targeted supplementation during lymphoma management in regions with high prevalence of micronutrient insufficiency.