title: [Serum and tissue copper, zinc and selenium levels in patients with gastric carcinoma].
abstract: Serum and tissue copper, zinc and selenium levels were measured in patients with gastric carcinoma. The mean level of serum copper in patients with gastric carcinoma (42 cases) was 950 +/- 130 ug/L, which was higher than 800 +/- 70 ug/L of the control (30 cases, P less than 0.05). The serum selenium level in patients with gastric carcinoma was lower than that in the control (63 +/- 15 ug/L vs 85 +/- 8 ug/L, P less than 0.05). No significant difference in serum zinc level was found between the patient and control groups. In cancer tissues, the mean concentration of copper was 13.5 +/- 2.6 micrograms/g dry weight, which was much higher than 7.1 +/- 1.6 micrograms/g dry weight in the intact gastric mucosa (P less than 0.01). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cancer tissue was 95 +/- 10 u/mg-protein, which was lower than 124 +/- 12 u/mg-protein in the intact gastric mucosa (P less than 0.05). The above changes may facilitate production of free radicals, tissue damage and carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Bethune Medical College, Jilin.
authors.forename: X G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc