Correlation Between Endogenous Nitric Oxide In Serum And Treatment For The Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Objective.This study was to explore the correlation between endogenous nitric oxide(NO)in serum and treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for NPC patients,and to explore the significance and the possible factors by studying the change of NO concentrations before and after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.Methods.The level of NO in serum was detected by nitrate reductase methods in 20 patients with NPC pre- and post-radiotherapy,16 patients with NPC pre- and post-radiotherapy plus chemotherapy of PF protocol (DDP+5-FU),and 27 normal cases as controls.Results:(1)The level of NO in NPC was significantly higher than that in control group.The former level was 111.61±24.42μmol/L,the latter level was 70.25±14.45μmol/L(P＜0.01).(2)The level of NO in NPC with stagesⅠ/Ⅱwas 130.37±31.31μmol/L,and was significantly higher than that in NPC with stageⅢorⅣ(P＜0.05).However,no statistically significance was observed between the level of NO and NPC patients with stageⅢand stageⅣ(P＞0.05).(3)The level of NO in NPC with the lymph node metastasis group was 102.16±19.57μmol/L,and was significantly lower than that in NPC with non-metastasis group(P＜0.01).The level of NO in NPC with non-metastasis group was 126.46±24.47μmol/L.(4)The level of NO in NPC post-simple-radiotherapy group was 80.66±15.72μmol /L,and was significantly lower than that in NPC pre-simple-radiotherapy group(P＜0.01). However,the level of NO in NPC one year after simple radiotherapy was 90.03±14.74μmol/L,and was higher than that in control group(P＜0.01),but lower than that in NPC pre-simple-radiotherapy group(P＜0.01).(5)No statistically significance was observed between the level of NO pre- and post-radiotherapy plus chemotherapy of PF protocol(DDP+5-FU)(P＞0.05).Conclusions:The level of NO in NPC no matter therapy were significantly higher than that in health adult.It can explain that the blood serum of NPC patients have higher NO base level,and endogenous NO maybe take part in NPC carcinogenesis and development.So detecting NO in blood serum may be significant reference index screening NPC.The level of NO in NPC after radiotherapy was lowered than that in NPC pre-radiotherapy group.The NPC occurrence may depend on high level of NO in blood serum or NPC may stimulate organism to produce NO.Therefore,monitoring the change of NO concentration in serum may have positive clinical value to evaluate the stating and prognosis of NPC patients.It need to further study and research the mechanism and practical significance that the change of NO concentration before and after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.