title: The content of cadmium, cobalt and nickel in laryngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to determine the content of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) in the samples from laryngeal carcinoma in comparison with the level of these elements in the samples of healthy mucous membrane from the same larynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 43 patients with laryngeal carcinoma. The levels of Cd, Co, and Ni in carcinoma and healthy control tissues was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP - OES) using sequential spectrometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found between the levels of the Cd, Co, and Ni in laryngeal carcinoma vs tissues without carcinoma. However, it was noted that the concentration of Cd in tumors of patients with metastases to cervical lymph nodes was significantly higher than in tumors without metastases. The content of Co was significantly higher in more advanced laryngeal tumors: in stage-T4 than in stage T3. It is of interest that the levels of Cd, Co and Ni were significantly higher in tumors in patients from rural than urban areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The imbalance in the level of nickel, cadmium and cobalt in laryngeal cancer may be due to a changed cellular metabolism in the cancer process. However, the results of our study reveal the significant differences in the concentration of these metals between patients from urban and rural areas which suggests that this fact may be related to environmental or occupational factors and therefore it requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klatka
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Remer
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dobrowolski
authors.forename: Wioletta
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pietruszewska
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trojanowska
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Siwiec
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charytanowicz