Ratios of Co/Trace Elements As Prostate Cancer Markers

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether significant changes in the prostatic tissue levels of ratios Co/trace element contents exist in the malignantly transformed prostate. Contents of Co and other 42 trace elements (Ag, Al, Au, B, Be, Bi, Br, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cs, Dy, Er, Fe, Gd, Hg, Ho, La, Li, Mn, Mo, Nb, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sn, Tb, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, Y, Yb, Zn, and Zr) in normal (N, n=37, age range 41-87 years), benign hypertrophic (BPH, n=32, age range 56-78), and cancerous human prostate (PCa, n=60, age range 40- 70) were investigated. Measurements of trace element contents were performed using a combination of instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Then the levels of ratios Co/trace element contents in every sample were calculated. It was observed that the ratio to Co of Ag, Al, Au, B, Be, Bi, Br, Ce, Cr, Dy, Er, Gd, Ho, La, Li, Mn, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Sb, Sm, Sn, Tb, Th, Ti, Tl, U, Y, and Zr mass fraction were significantly lower in cancerous tissues than in normal and BPH prostate. It was proposed to use the Co/Ag, Co/Al, Co/B, Co/Bi, Co/Li, Co/Mn, Co/Pr, Co/Th, Co/Tl, and Co/Zr mass fraction ratios in a needle-biopsy core as an accurate tool to diagnose prostate cancer. Further studies on larger number of samples are required to confirm our findings and to investigate the impact of the trace element relationships on prostate cancer etiology