Serum zinc concentration in patients with colorectal cancer

Epidemiological studies have shown a relationship of zinc concentration with the pathology of several types of cancer. Zinc is involved in the proliferation and growth of cells including colorectal epithelial cells. The majority of colon adenocarcinomas derive from precancerous lesions, mostly from adenomatous polyps. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate total plasma Zn concentrations in patients with cancer and polyp of colon. In the population of the present study, the mean Zn concentration was significantly decreased in both colorectal cancer and polyp groups compared to the control group. A significant difference in the plasma zinc level was also noted between patients with cancer (higher) and those with polyps (lower). Considering the advancement of the malignancy, we were unable to find any significant difference in the mean Zn concentration between the cancer subgroups under study. Zinc level in the cancer subgroup with metastases was decreased only in comparison with the control group. In the context of the possible role of zinc in cancer chemoprevention, of particular importance might be the finding of significant differences in plasma zinc levels between the polyp group (lower) and both: the cancer (higher) and control group (higher). Significantly decreased Zn levels were found in the polyp group compared to the local cancer subgroup.