title: The value of serum zinc, copper, ceruloplasmin levels in patients with gastrointestinal tract cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastrointestinal cancers are frequent diseases of particular importance for surgeons with regard to their management and follow-up. Neoplastic diseases activate antioxidant defense systems. As a result, concentrations of redoxal enzymes and their co-factor elements appear to change. The levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and ceruloplasmin have been found to be critical parameters. In addition, it seems to be important to consider the Cu/Zn ratio in such cases. In this study, changes in the levels of Cu, Zn and ceruloplasmin in patients with gastrointestinal system cancers was evaluated, and the proportion of Cu to Zn (Cu/Zn) is discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this clinical trial, levels of Cu and Zn were defined with calorimetric methods and ceruloplasmin levels were measured with immunohistochemical methods in a control group of 20 healthy individuals and in 25 patients who underwent surgery for gastrointestinal system cancer. The blood samples were taken preoperatively in gastrointestinal system cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study has shown that while the decrease in Zn levels and the increase in ceruloplasmin levels in patients with gastrointestinal system cancers were found to be significant (p<0. 001, p=0. 014) when compared to the control group, the increase in the level of Cu was also found to be significant (p=0. 019). In the patient group, the correlations between serum Cu and serum ceruloplasmin proved to be significant (r=991, p<0. 001). The Cu/Zn ratio, when compared with Zn, ceruloplasmin and Cu, showed significant results (r= 0. 562, r= 0. 500, r=0. 506, p<0. 001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that serum Cu, Zn and ceruloplasmin levels show changes in gastrointestinal system cancers, but further research is needed to demonstrate the importance and significance of these parameters and their relation with other contributing neoplastic factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Second General Surgery, SSK Izmir Teaching Hospital, 35350 Uçkuyular, Izmir, Turkey. alperboz80@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Evliyaoğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Nazif
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Baysal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karaca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002151:Calorimetry; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D011379:Prognosis; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003300:Copper; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D015032:Zinc