Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A case-control study on selenium, zinc, and copper in plasma and hair of subjects affected by breast and lung cancer

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between plasma and hair levels of Se, Zn, and Cu, and cancer. We selected a total of 66 patients affected by either breast (38) or lung (28) cancer. They entered into the study at the onset of disease, and before any chemical or radiotherapy. Controls were randomly selected among healthy people and were matched for sex, age, smoking habits, and residence. In the group of breast cancer, a significant decrease in hair Se was found compared to controls (p<0.01), whereas plasma Se was only slightly decreased. No difference between cases and controls was detected in both hair and plasma levels of Zn and Cu. Subjects who developed lung cancer were significantly lower in hair Zn (p<0.05) and Cu (p<0.01) than controls, whereas there was no difference with regard to Se. In addition, plasma Cu of these patients was increased as compared to controls.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. O. Guillard, M. H. Biasis-Sauvetre, D. Reiss, and J. Gombert, Physiologie et pathologie du zinc,Pathol. Biol. 28, 469–478 (1980).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. S. R. Marklund, N. G. Westman, E. Lundgren, and G. Ross, Copper and zinc containing superoxidedismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in normal and neoplastic human cell lines and normal human tissue,Cancer Res. 42, 1955–1961 (1982).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. B. Halliwell and M. C. Gutteridge, Oxygen toxicity, oxygen radicals, transitional metals and disease,Biochem. J. 219, 1–14 (1984).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Schillaci, S. E. Martin, and J. A. Milner, The effects of dietary selenium on the biotrasformation of 7,12-di-methylbenz(α)anthracene,Mutat. Res. 101, 31–37 (1982).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. N. M. Jacobs, Selenium inhibition of 1,2-dimethylydrazine-induced colon carcino-genesis.Cancer Res. 43, 1646–1649 (1983).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J. A. Milner, Effect of selenium on virally induced and trasplantable tumor models,Federation Proc. 44, 2568–2571 (1985).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. R. A. Le Boeuf and W. G. Hoekstra, Changes in cellular glutathione levels possible relation to selenium-mediate anticarcinogenesis,Federation Proc. 44, 2563–2566 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  8. S. Y. Yu, Y. J. Zhu, W. G. Li, and C. Hou, Chemoprevention trial of primary liver cancer with selenium supplementation in Quidong country of China.Metal Ions Biol. Med. 497–500 (1990).

  9. P. Travaglini, P. Moriondo, and E. Togni, Effect of oral zinc administration on prolactine and thymulein circulating levels in patients with chronic renal failure,J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 68, 186–190 (1989).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. M. R. Fenton and J. P. Burke, Subcellular zinc distribution in livers and tumors of plasmocytoma-bearing mice.Nutr. Res. 5, 1383–1391 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. R. J. Shamberger, E. Rukovena, and A. K. Gongfield, Antioxidant and cancer. I: selenium in the blood of normals and cancer patients,J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 50, 863–870 (1973).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. R. F. Burk, Selenium and cancer: meaning of serum selenium levels,J. Nutr. 116, 1584–1586 (1986).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. J. A. Milner and M. E. Rice, Selenium and tumorigenesis, inSelenium in Biology and Medicine, Part B, G. F. Combs, ed., Rheinhold, New York, pp. 1034–1043 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  14. B. N. Gray, S. L. Marklund, and R. Barnard, Use of serum copper/zinc ratio in patients with large bowel cancer.J. Surg. Oncol. 21, 230–232 (1982).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. I. Capel, M. Pinnock, D. Williams, and I. W. Hanham, The serum levels of some trace and bulk elements in cancer patients,Oncology 39, 38–41 (1982).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. S. Gozda, A. D. Cavdar, A. Arcasoy, and N. Akkar, Serum copper and zinc levels and copper/zinc ratio in pediatric non Hodgkin’s lymphoma,Hacta Haematol 67, 67–70 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. A. Adler, B. Safai, Y. Wang, and G. A. Menedev-Botetc, Serum zinc levels in patients with basal-cell carcinoma,J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol. 7, 911–914 (1981).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Y. Aldor, N. Walach, D. Modai, and Y. Horn, Zinc and copper levels in erythrocytes, plasma and whole blood in cancer patients,Klin. Wochenschr. 60, 375–377 (1982).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. J. S. Morris, M. J. Stampfer, and W. C. Willet, Dietary selenium in humans: toenails as an indicator,Biol. Trace Elem. Research 5, 529–537 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. P. A. H. Van Noord, H. J. A. Collette, and M. J. Maas, Selenium levels in nails of premenopausal breast cancer patients assessed prediagnostically in a cohort nested case-referent study among women screened in the DOM Project,Int. J. Epidemiol. 16, 318–322 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. P. Van’t Veer, R. P. J. Van Der Wielen, and J. F. Kok, Selenium in diet blood and toenails in relation to breast cancer: a case-control study.Am. J. Epidemiol. 131, 987–990 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  22. A. Taylor, Usefulness of measurements of trace elements in hair,Ann. Clin. Biochem. 23, 364–378 (1986).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. S. Caroli, O. Senofonte, N. Violante, L. Fornarelli, and A. Powar, Assessment of reference values for elements in hair of urban normal subjects.Microchemical J. 46, 174–183 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. P. Borella, S. Rovesti, E. Caselgrandi, and A. Bargellini, Quality control in hair analysis: a sistematic study on washing procedures for trace element determinations,Mikrochimica Acta,705, 1–10 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  25. W. C. Hawkes, C. C. Willhite, K. A. Craig, S. T. Omaye, D. N. Cox, W. N. Choy, and A. G. Hendrickx, Effects of excess selenomethionine on selenium status indicators in pregnant long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis),Biol. Trace Element Res. 35, 281–297 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. E. E. Olson, I. S. Palmer, and E. E. Cary, Methods of the official fluorimetric. Method for selenium in plants,J. AOAC 58, 117–121 (1975).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. G. Vivoli, M. Bergomi, P. Borella, G. Fantuzzi, and E. Caselgrandi, Cadmium in blood, urine and hair related to human hypertension,J. Trace Elem. Electrolytes Health Dis. 3, 139–145 (1989).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. H. Krsnjavi and D. Beker, Selenium in serum as possible parameter of assesment of breast disease,Breast Cancer Res. Tr 16, 57–61 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. F. Mayer and R. Verreault, Erythrocyte selenium and breast cancer risk,Am. J. Epidemiol. 125, 917–922 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  30. F. Cavallo, M. Gerber, E. Marubini, S. Richardson, A. Barbieri, A. Costa, A. DeCarli, and H. Pujol, Zinc and copper in breast cancer. A joint study in Northern Italy and Southern France,Cancer 67, 738–745 (1991).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. J. A. Garofalo, H. Ashikari, M. L. Lesser, C. Menendez-Botet, S. Cunningham-Rundles, M. K. Schwartz, and R. A. Good, Serum zinc, copper and the Cu/Zn ratio in patients with benign and malignant breast lesions,Cancer 46, 2682–2685 (1980).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. J. T. Salonen, G. Alfthan, J. K. Huttunen, and P. Puska, Association between serum selenium and the risk of cancer,Am. J. Epidemiol. 120, 342–349 (1984).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. G. W. Comstock, T. L. Bush, and K. Helzlsouer, Serum retinol, beta-carotene, vitamin E and selenium as related to subsequent cancer of specific sites,Am. J. Epidemiol. 135, 115–121 (1992).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. P. A. van den Brandt, R. A. Goldbohm, P. Van’t Veer, P. Bode, E. Dorant, R. J. J. Hermus, and F. Sturmans, A prospective cohort study on selenium status and the risk of lung cancer,Cancer Res. 53, 4860–4865 (1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. B. F. Issel, B. U. Mc Fayden, and E. T. Gum, Serum zinc levels in lung cancer patients,Cancer 47, 1845–1848 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. B. Rosof and H. Spencer, Tissue distribution of zinc65 in tumor tissue and normal tissue in man,Nature 207, 652–656 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. J. I. Allen, E. Bell, and M. G. Boosalis, Association between urinary zinc excretion and lymphocyte dysfunction in patients with lung cancerAm. J. Med. 79, 209–212 (1985).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. T. Crea, V. Guerrin, F. Ortega, and P. Harteman, Zinc et systeme immunitaire,Ann. Med. Interne 141, 447–451 (1990).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. World Health Organisation, Selenium, Environmental Health Criteria, H58, WHO, Geneva, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  40. S. L. Rizk and H. H. Sky-Peck, Comparison between concentration of trace elements in normal and neoplastic human breast tissue,Cancer Res. 44, 5390–5394 (1984).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. C. Di Ilio, P. Sacchetta, G. Del Boccio, G. La Rovere, and G. Federici, Gluthatione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase activity in normal and neoplastic human breast tissues,Cancer Lett. 29, 37 (1985).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. C. P. Siegers, H. Bose-Younes, E. Thies, R. Hoppenkaps, and M. Younes, Glutathione and GSH-dependent enzymes in the tumorous and non tumorous mucosa of the human colon and rectum,J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. 107, 238–240 (1984).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. C. Di Ilio, G. Del Boccio, R. Casaccia, A. Aceto, F. Di Giacomo, and G. Federici, Selenium level and glutathione dependent enzymes activities in normal and neoplastic human lung tissues,Carcinogenesis 8, 281–285 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. W. Dewis and W. J. Pories, Inhibition of spectrum of animal tumors by dietary zinc deficiency,J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 48, 375–381 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  45. B. L. Mills, W. L. Broghamer, P. J. Higgins, and R. D. Lindeman, A specific dietary zinc requirement for the growth of the Walker 256/M1 tumor in the rat,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34, 1661–1669 (1981).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. B. L. Mills, W. L. Broghamer, P. J. Higgins, and R. D. Lindeman, Inhibition of tumor growth by zinc depletion of rats,J. Nutr. 114, 746–756 (1984).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. A. G. Fuchs, R. Mariotto, and E. S. De Lustig, Serum and tissue copper content in two mammary adenocarcinomas with different biological behaviour,Eur. J. Cancer Clin. Oncol. 22, 1347–1352 (1986).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical, Oncological and Radiological Sciences, Section of Internal Medicine, Oncology and Ematology, University of Modena, Italy

    Lino Piccinini & Alessandra Zoboli

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Modena, Italy

    Paola Borella, Annalisa Bargellini & Cristina Incerti Medici

Authors
  1. Lino Piccinini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paola Borella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Annalisa Bargellini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cristina Incerti Medici
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Alessandra Zoboli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Piccinini, L., Borella, P., Bargellini, A. et al. A case-control study on selenium, zinc, and copper in plasma and hair of subjects affected by breast and lung cancer. Biol Trace Elem Res 51, 23–30 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790144

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790144

Index Entries

Search

Navigation