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Study of Serum Zinc and Copper Levels and Tumor Pathology: A Pilot Study in People Affected with Head and Neck Cancers

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Abstract

This study aimed to determine understanding the role of serum copper, zinc and copper/zinc ratio with tumor staging in people newly diagnosed to be affected with Head and Neck cancer and by comparing with age matched health individuals devoid of any orodental maladies. The study included patients confirmed to be affected with HN cancer with histological diagnosis of Head and Neck cancer (60) and age matched healthy volunteers (N = 23). The demographic details like age, domicile, menopausal status and pathological details (like tumor stage, number of lymph node involvement, tumor size) were collected from the patient's hospital data file. The serum levels of zinc and copper assayed as per standard procedures and the zinc/copper was calculated for the cancer patients and controls. The data were subjected to unpaired “t” test and ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons. The association between zinc and copper levels with pathological details between the variables was ascertained using the Pearson correlation coefficient(r). A statistical value of p < 0.05 was considered to be significant in agreeance to the accepted norms. Results: This result of the study indicates that when compared to the healthy individuals, the serum levels of copper, and zinc, and copper/zinc ratio were high in patients with H&N cancer. Also when compared with controls, the levels of zinc decreased, while that of copper and copper/zinc ratio increased in people affected with H&N cancer (p = 0.017 to 0.0001) and with the stage of the tumor (p = 0.03 to 0.001). The results of the study suggest that levels of serum zinc were significantly lower and that of copper higher in H&N cancer patients than that in controls and also that it was dependent on the tumor stage. When analyzed cumulatively the results hint that zinc and copper, due to their role in free radical generation and prevention have an important role in cancer progression and possible prevention by judicious intervention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are also grateful to Mr. Anathakrishna, the president of the Mangalore Institute of Oncology for supporting the study.

Funding

The study was supported by Mangalore Institute of Oncology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Karnataka, 574199, India

    Avinash Kundadka Kudva

  2. Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Karnataka, 574199, India

    Shamprasad Varija Raghu

  3. Research Unit, Mangalore Institute of Oncology, Pumpwell, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India

    Pavan Kumar Achar & Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga

  4. Radiation Oncology, Mangalore Institute of Oncology, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India

    Suresh Rao

  5. Community Medicine, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India

    Sucharitha Suresh

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  1. Avinash Kundadka Kudva
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Correspondence to Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga.

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This was a prospective study and was conducted after obtaining clearance from Institutional Ethics Committee (MIO/IEC/07/2017). Written informed consent was taken from all the study participants.

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Kudva, A.K., Raghu, S.V., Achar, P.K. et al. Study of Serum Zinc and Copper Levels and Tumor Pathology: A Pilot Study in People Affected with Head and Neck Cancers. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 74 (Suppl 3), 6007–6015 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02589-7

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