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. 2021 Jun:42:101900.
doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.101900. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Are trace element concentrations suitable biomarkers for the diagnosis of cancer?

Kristina Lossow  1 , Maria Schwarz  1 , Anna P Kipp  2
Affiliations

Are trace element concentrations suitable biomarkers for the diagnosis of cancer?

Kristina Lossow et al. Redox Biol. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Despite advances in cancer research, cancer is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. An early diagnosis substantially increases the survival rate and treatment success. Thus, it is important to establish biomarkers which could reliably identify cancer patients. As cancer is associated with changes in the systemic trace element status and distribution, serum concentrations of selenium, iron, copper, and zinc could contribute to an early diagnosis. To test this hypothesis, case control studies measuring trace elements in cancer patients vs. matched controls were selected and discussed focusing on lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer. Overall, cancer patients had elevated serum copper and diminished zinc levels, while selenium and iron did not show consistent changes for all four cancer types. Within the tumor tissue, mainly copper and selenium are accumulating. Whether these concentrations also predict the survival probability of cancer patients needs to be further investigated.

Keywords: Cancer; Copper; Iron; Selenium; Zinc.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Shifting trace element concentrations including selenium (Se), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in serum (depicted as blood vessel) and tumor tissue (depicted as cell) of cancer patients based on case-control studies published within the last years and referred within this review. Trace element differences of cancer patients compared to controls are illustrated by size deviations from the reference circle. 1 particularly robust in breast cancer studies, 2 particularly robust in prostate cancer, 3 depending on cancer type contradictory changes occur.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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