SERUM TRACE ELEMENTS IN DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST MALIGNANCY

Authors

  • Burarah Arooj
  • Sameen Ahmed
  • Mahjabeen Saleem
  • Rukhshan Khurshid
  • Muddasar Zia

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease globally. The absolute risk of breastcancer increases with age and is higher in postmenopausal women. This study tried to find out role ofserum trace elements (cadmium, cobalt, copper and zinc) and biomarkers in diagnosis of breastmalignancy. Methods: Levels of serum trace elements were estimated by atomic absorptionspectrophotometry in serum samples of 23 breast cancer patients of stage III. Analysis of proteinpattern was observed by sodium dodecyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Results: Inmenstruating women, the mean serum level of cadmium, copper and cobalt were significantly loweredas compared to control, however, zinc showed no significant difference. In premenopausal andpostmenopausal women, the mean serum level of cadmium, copper, cobalt and zinc was decreasedsignificantly in patients as compared to controls (p<0.001). The ratio of Cu/Zn was also decreased inpatients when compared to controls. Three major peptide bands with molecular weights of 33 kDa, 52kDa and 185 kDa appeared in these samples when subjected to SDS PAGE. Conclusions: Serum traceelements are significantly lower in breast cancer patients compared to controls. The exact mechanismresponsible for the alterations in trace element levels in patients with breast cancer is unclear andrequires further evaluation. Gel electrophoresis may be important to find out breast cancer markers thatmay help in diagnosing the disease and response to treatment.Keywords: Metals, Breast Cancer, Protein Markers

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Published

2012-06-01

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