Serum levels of some trace elements and calcium in normal individual and cancer patients

ABSTRACT

The relationship between cancer and the essential trace [micro] elements copper, zinc, manganese and the nonessential trace elements cadmium and lithium as well as the macro element calcium was investigated by analyzing the levels of these metals in sera of 37 cancer patients, 10 healthy subjects and 7 pathologic controls. Significant elevations of serum copper, zinc, lithium and corrected calcium levels were detected in cancer patients compared to controls. Copper/zinc ratio, cadmium, manganese and calcium were insignificantly higher in cancer patients compared to controls. In pathologic controls, the levels were similar to control levels. Serum Zinc, cadmium and manganese levels were significantly higher in cancer patients compared to pathologic controls. However, these changes did not exhibit specific trends according to locality of cancer. After radical resection of the tumor, the levels of these elements did not exhibit significant variations from preoperative levels. These data can demonstrate that changes in trace elements concentrations in serum are more or less a consequence of altered protein binding and metabolic processes related to the tumor. Some of these minerals, at least copper, zinc and cadmium might play a possible role in promotion of malignant tumor growth, but in themselves have no use in malignant tumor management