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Trace Element and Heavy Metal Levels in Colorectal Cancer: Comparison Between Cancerous and Non-cancerous Tissues

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Abstract

Cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) have increased dramatically in Middle Eastern and other Asian countries. Many studies indicate an important role of environmental factors, including trace elements as an etiology of cancer. This study aims to assess the concentration of eight trace elements in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues in case of CRC. In a cross-sectional study, conducted between March 2015 and February 2016, zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and iron (Fe) levels were evaluated among patients suffering from CRC. All the patients underwent a full colonoscopy. Multiple samples were taken from cancerous lesions and adjacent healthy tissues that kept a minimum distance of 10 cm from the lesions. These specimens were kept at −80 °C. The classic flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) method was applied in this study. The mean age of the study population was 55.6 ± 12.8. The median of Zn, Cr, Cu, Al, and Pb in cancerous tissues was significantly higher than that of healthy tissues (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, the median of Mn, Sn, and Fe was significantly lower than that of non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.05). Between colon and rectal specimens, we did not find a difference between Cr and Al levels and Zn, Sn, and Cu levels in cancerous and healthy tissues, respectively. We revealed that gender and history of smoking may influence the level of some trace elements. We revealed that the levels of eight elements were significantly different for cancerous and healthy tissues. This may play a role in developing CRC. These findings reflect the importance of environmental pollution in this setting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Masoudreza Sohrabi, Mehdi Nikkhah, Mahmood Reza Khoonsari, Gholamrez Hemmasi, Farhad Zamani & Hossein Ajdarkosh

  2. Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Ali Gholami

  3. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Gholami

  4. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Gholami

  5. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Uremia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

    MohammadHossein Hosseini Azar

  6. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, Mc Master University, Hamilton, Canada

    Mohammad Yaghoobi

  7. Department of Analytic Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Tehran Islamic Azad University, North Branch, Tehran, Iran

    Maryamosadat Mirasgari Shahi, Solmaz Shirmardi, Zahra Kohi, Delaram Salehpour & Mahmoudreza Sohrabi

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  1. Masoudreza Sohrabi
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  2. Ali Gholami
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  7. Mehdi Nikkhah
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  8. Zahra Kohi
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  10. Mahmood Reza Khoonsari
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  11. Gholamrez Hemmasi
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  14. Hossein Ajdarkosh
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Mahmoudreza Sohrabi or Hossein Ajdarkosh.

Ethics declarations

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Iran University of Medical Sciences with ID IR.IUMS.REC.1395-25881. All subjects signed their informed consents before participation. The researchers were committed to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they no conflict of interest.

Supporting Centers

This study was supported by the Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Centre (GILDRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, and Department of Analytic Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Tehran Islamic Azad University, North Branch.

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Sohrabi, M., Gholami, A., Azar, M.H. et al. Trace Element and Heavy Metal Levels in Colorectal Cancer: Comparison Between Cancerous and Non-cancerous Tissues. Biol Trace Elem Res 183, 1–8 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1099-7

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