SUMΜARY. Aim: To investigate the local and systemic antioxidant status and inflammation, and the correlation between them in patients with lung cancer. Subjects and methods: Forty two male patients (mean age 65 ± 8 yrs) with primary lung cancer were studied. Sixteen male subjects matched for age (mean age 62 ± 5 yrs) and smoking history, without any final evidence of malignancy served as controls. Total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione (GSH), interleukin-1a (IL-1a), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum samples. Results: The levels of TAS and GSH in BALF were statistically significantly increased in patients with lung cancer compared to controls (0.27 ± 0.24 mmol/L vs. 0.12 ± 0.02, p=0.02 and 7.56 ± 4.29 μmol/L vs. 4.62 ± 2.23, p=0.01 respectively). A statistically significant increase of TNF-α in BALF (15.90 ± 25.22 vs 4.94 ± 10.97 pg/ml, p=0.02) and of IL1a in serum (10.20 ± 2.59 vs 7.18 ± 6.33 pg/ml, p=0.02) was also observed in lung cancer patients. Statistically significant correlation in normal subjects was observed only between TAS and IL-1a in BALF (r=0.7, p=0.002). Statistically significant correlation in cancer patients was observed in BALF between TAS and a) IL-1a (r=0.84, p<0.001), b) IL-6 (r=0.52, p=0.001), and c) TNF-α (r=0.67, p<0.001). Conclusions: Alteration in antioxidant and inflammatory status was found in lung cancer patients both in serum and in BALF compared with normal subjects matched for smoking history. Positive correlation was observed between antioxidants and cytokines locally but not systematically. Pneumon 2007; 20(2):174-180.