Raman Spectroscopic Measurements of Dermal Carotenoids in Breast Cancer Operated Patients Provide Evidence for the Positive Impact of a Dietary Regimen Rich in Fruit and Vegetables on Body Oxidative Stress and BC Prognostic Anthropometric Parameters: A Five‐Year Study

Abstract

Dermal carotenoids are a feasible marker of the body antioxidative network and may reveal a moderate to severe imbalance of the redox status, thereby providing indication of individual oxidative stress. In this work noninvasive Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS) measurements of skin carotenoids (skin carotenoid score (SCS)) were used to provide indications of individual oxidative stress, each year for five years, in 71 breast cancer (BC) patients at high risk of recurrence. Patients' SCS has been correlated with parameters relevant to BC risk, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI), in the aim of monitoring the effect of a dietary regimen intended to positively affect BC risk factors. The RRS methodological approach in BC patients appeared from positive correlation between patients' SCS and blood level of lycopene. The level of skin carotenoids was inversely correlated with the patients' WC and BMI. At the end of the 5 y observation BC patients exhibited a significant reduction of WC and BMI and increase of SCS, when strictly adhering to the dietary regimen. In conclusion, noninvasive measurements of skin carotenoids can (i) reveal an oxidative stress condition correlated with parameters of BC risk and (ii) monitor dietary-related variations in BC patients.

A meta-analysis of studies examining associations between resonance Raman spectroscopy-assessed skin carotenoids and plasma carotenoids among adults and children

“… 15 , 71 All the studies (100%) included information of participants’ sex (4 studies included only females). 71 , 75–77 The mean ages ranged from 32 to 77 years. In 6 studies (54.5%), total plasma or serum carotenoid concentrations were measured 71 , 74 , 77 , 78 , 80 , 81 ; 2 (18.2%) stated “total carotenoids” were used but did not specifically define total plasma/serum carotenoids 76 , 82 ; and 3 (27.3%) included a subset of plasma/serum carotenoids, but not the total.…”

“…In 6 studies (54.5%), total plasma or serum carotenoid concentrations were measured 71 , 74 , 77 , 78 , 80 , 81 ; 2 (18.2%) stated “total carotenoids” were used but did not specifically define total plasma/serum carotenoids 76 , 82 ; and 3 (27.3%) included a subset of plasma/serum carotenoids, but not the total. 15 , 75 , 79 …”

Dermal Carotenoid Measurement is Inversely Related to Anxiety in Patients with Breast Cancer

“…BMI has been found to inversely correlate with SCS (BMI 30.1±7.1 kg/m 2 in SCS >25,000 Raman counts (RC) vs 26.7±4.6 kg/m 2 in SCS <25,000 RC; p=0.0003) based on a study by Holt et al 823 as well as with low plasma carotenoid measurements. 24 This finding was illustrated in our study.…”

Short-term cactus pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill] fruit supplementation ameliorates the inflammatory profile and is associated with improved antioxidant status among healthy humans

“…A portable Raman spectroscope, Pharmanex ® Bio-Photonic Scanner S2 (NuSkin, Provo, Utah, USA), designed to monitor carotenoids in the 0.1 mm stratum corneum of the skin of the hand, has been used for the measurement of the global antioxidant status ( 29 ). A low-intensity 471.3–473 nm radiation from light emitting diodes interacts with the skin carotenoids.…”