title: Serum Levels of Trace Elements in Patients with Testicular Cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trace elements are primary components of biological structures; however, they can be toxic when their concentrations are higher than those needed for biological functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study serum levels of trace elements were measured in 30 patients (mean age was 26.9±11.2 years) newly diagnosed with germ cell testicular cancer and 32 healthy volunteers (mean age: 27.4±10.8) by using furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum samples were stored at-20ºC until assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with germ cell testicular cancer, the diagnosis was seminoma in 15, mix germ cell tumor in 7, embryonal carcinoma in 4, yolk sac tumor in 2 and teratoma in 2 patients. There was stage I testicular tumor in 19 patients (63.3%) while stage II in 6 patients (20.0%), stage IIIA in 4 patients (13.3%) and stage IIIC in one patient (3.4%). It was found that serum Co, Cu, Mg and Pb levels were increased (p<0.05), whereas Fe, Mn, and Zn levels were decreased in patients with testicular cancer (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These alterations may be important in the pathogenesis of testicular cancers; however, further prospective studies are needed to identify the relationship between testicular cancer and trace elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaba
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pirinççi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Bilgehan
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yüksel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlhan
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Gecit
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology,Faculty of Medicine,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and HealthSciences,Cicekdağı VocationalCollege, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: HurremTuran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akkoyun
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Scienceand Art,Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Halit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014131:Trace Elements