title: Serum levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and zinc in male lung cancer cases and controls.
abstract: The mean serum levels of beta-carotene and vitamin A in a multivariate analysis of data from 64 histologically confirmed male lung cancer cases were statistically significantly lower than those from 63 randomly selected male hospital controls, who were admitted for small surgical operations (p values for both beta-carotene and vitamin A less than 0.001). The mean serum levels of zinc were not statistically significantly different between cases and controls (p = 0.10). The levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A, or zinc were not statistically significantly influenced by either the extent of the cancer (p = 0.45) or the cancer cell type (p = 0.06). The possible biological significance of these findings is discussed briefly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kune
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kune
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitetta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merenstein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Irving
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D015032:Zinc