Positive Health Online

Abstract

HUANG and colleagues, Graduate Institute of Medicine and School of Technology for Medical Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China studied the association between oxidative stress and trace elements in women with breast cancer .

Background

Methodology

Malondialdehyde (MDA) was determined in serum of breast cancer patients (n = 35) and controls (n = 35) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); trace elements by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results

There was significantly increased lipid peroxidation in the serum of the breast cancer patients; concentrations of zinc and iron remained unchanged. Compared with the control group, however, the mean level of serum copper in breast cancer was significantly higher. Also, the mean serum selenium level in stage III breast cancer patients was significantly lower than in the control group and a positive correlation was observed between copper and MDA levels in the breast cancer patient group but not in the controls.

Conclusion

The present results demonstrate an association between oxidative stress and trace elements in breast cancer patients. The increased oxidative stress may be the result of changes in the levels of certain trace elements.

References

Huang YL et al. Association between oxidative stress and changes of trace elements in patients with breast cancer. Clinical Biochemistry 32(2): 131-6. Mar 1999.