title: Interaction between carcinogenic and anti-carcinogenic trace elements in the scalp hair samples of different types of Pakistani female cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It was investigated that carcinogenic processes are linked with the imbalances of essential trace and toxic elements in body fluid and tissues of human. In this study, the relationship between carcinogenic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni), and anti-carcinogenic elements, selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), in the scalp hair of different female cancer patients (breast, cervix, mouth and ovarian) was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scalp hair samples were collected from cancer patients and referent female subjects of the same age group and socioeconomic status. The scalp hair samples were oxidized by 65% nitric acid and 30% hydrogen peroxide by microwave oven and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked using certified reference material of human hair (BCR 397).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean concentrations of As, Cd, and Ni were found to be significantly higher in the scalp hair samples of cancerous patients as compared to referents, while reverse results were obtained in the case of Zn and Se (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study revealed that low level of trace elements (Se, Zn) and high level of heavy elements (As, Cd, and Ni) were associated with increased risk of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sham Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tasneem Gul
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Kazi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan. Electronic address: hassanimranafridi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hassan Imran
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Afridi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farah Naz
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Talpur
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan.
authors.lastname: Naeemullah
mesh_terms: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D010154:Pakistan; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Atomic absorption spectrophotometer; Different types of cancer; Selenium; Toxic elements; Zinc