This study examined the effect of an inflammatory response on measures of antioxidant status in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In healthy, control subjects (n = 13) and NSCLC patients (n = 22) fasting concentrations of albumin, C-reactive protein, cholesterol, and the antioxidants alpha-tocopherol, retinol, lutein, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene were measured. The two groups were similar in terms of age, sex, and body mass index. However, the cancer group had an inflammatory response as evidenced by significantly increased C-reactive protein concentrations. Concentrations of all the measured antioxidants of the NSCLC group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.01). The lowest concentrations were those of the carotenoids lycopene and alpha- and beta-carotene. In the cancer group there were significant negative correlations between concentrations of C-reactive protein and retinol (r = -0.682, P < 0.01), alpha-tocopherol (r = -0.464, P < 0.05), and lutein (r = -0.599, P < 0.01). The results of this study have implications for the interpretation of circulating antioxidant concentrations in patients with NSCLC.