title: Serum copper and zinc and the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: To investigate the association of serum copper and zinc with mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease, the authors performed a case-control analysis of data obtained in a Dutch prospective follow-up study. Cancer (n = 64) and cardiovascular disease (n = 62) deaths and their matched controls were taken from a cohort of 10,532 persons examined in 1975-1978. Trace elements were measured in baseline serum samples, which had been stored during the six to nine years of follow-up. The adjusted risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease was about four times higher for subjects in the highest serum copper quintile (greater than 1.43 mg/liter) compared with those with normal levels. The excess mortality observed in subjects with low copper status suggests a U-shaped relation. No significant change in the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease was found for subjects with low or high baseline levels of serum zinc. However, a protective effect of a high zinc status on the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease is compatible with the data. For definitive conclusions, analysis of larger prospective data sets is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Van Duijn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Van der Voet
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: De Wolff
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Paays
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Valkenburg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D009426:Netherlands; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc