STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THERAPEUTIC AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES ON CATALASE ACTIVITY IN THE ORAL FLUID OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK TUMOURS

Abstract

In malignant head-and-neck tumors (HNT), oxidativereductive imbalance is accompanied by a decline in the activity of antioxidant-defense enzymes–primarily catalase–which aggravates biomolecular damage and hinders postoperative rehabilitation. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of a proposed therapeutic-prophylactic complex (TPC) on salivary catalase activity in HNT patients during a 12-month follow-up. Materials and methods. Thirty-five individuals aged 25–55 years were examined: 25 HNT patients (comparison group, n=10; main group, n=15) after surgical tumor removal followed by standard chemotherapy, and 10 apparently healthy volunteers (reference group). The main group additionally received the TPC, which was readministered 6 months after treatment initiation. Nonstimulated whole saliva was collected, and catalase activity was measured biochemically at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Statistical processing was performed with STATISTICA 6.1 using Student’s t-test. Research results. At baseline, catalase activity in both patient groups was 2.7–3.3-fold lower than reference values. Standard therapy in the comparison group induced only transient increases (+22.2% at month 1; +44.4% at month 3), with a return to baseline by month 12. In contrast, the TPC raised catalase activity by 36.3% after 1 month and by 90% after 3 months, with the gain persisting through month 12. At every time point, catalase activity in the main group was significantly higher than in the comparison group. Conclusions. The proposed TPC significantly reinforces antioxidant defense by restoring and sustaining salivary catalase activity in HNT patients for at least 12 months of rehabilitation, demonstrating marked antioxidant efficacy.