title: Decreased zinc in the development and progression of malignancy: an important common relationship and potential for prevention and treatment of carcinomas.
abstract: Efficacious chemotherapy does not exist for treatment or prevention of prostate, liver, and pancreatic carcinomas, and some other cancers that exhibit decreased zinc in malignancy. Zinc treatment offers a potential solution; but its support has been deterred by adverse bias. Areas covered: 1. The clinical and experimental evidence for the common ZIP transporter/Zn down regulation in these cancers. 2. The evidence for a zinc approach to prevent and/or treat these carcinomas. 3. The issues that introduce bias against support for the zinc approach. Expert opinion: ZIP/Zn downregulation is a clinically established common event in prostate, hepatocellular and pancreatic cancers. 2. Compelling evidence supports the plausibility that a zinc treatment regimen will prevent development of malignancy and termination of progressing malignancy in these cancers; and likely other carcinomas that exhibit decreased zinc. 3. Scientifically-unfounded issues that oppose this ZIP/Zn relationship have introduced bias against support for research and funding of a zinc treatment approach. 4. The clinically-established and supporting experimental evidence provide the scientific credibility that should dictate the support for research and funding of a zinc approach for the treatment and possible prevention of these cancers. 5. This is in the best interest of the medical community and the public-at-large.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences , School of Dentistry; and The Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Leslie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences , School of Dentistry; and The Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Renty B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015982:Bias; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012097:Repressor Proteins; C549924:ZGPAT protein, human; D015032:Zinc
keywords: ZIP transporters; decreased zinc carcinomas; hepatocellular carcinoma; prostate cancer; zinc treatment