The study aimed to determine and compare cadmium (Cd) concentration in different biological media of breast cancer and benign breast tumor patients. Methods Concentration of Cd was determined in breast tissue, urine and blood of 57 breast cancer and 51 benign tumor patients. Two samples of breast tissue from each patient, i.e. tumor and healthy tissue were taken for the analysis. Cd in biological media was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (Perkin-Elmer, Zeeman 3030). Results The mean Cd concentration in breast cancer patients was 0.053 µg/g (95% CI=0.042-0.065) for tumor sample and 0.02 µg/g (95% CI=0.014-0.026) for healthy breast tissue sample (p<0.001). In benign tumor patients the figures were following: 0.037 µg/g (95% CI=0.023-0.051) and 0.032 µg/g (95% CI=0.018-0.047) (p>0.05). Cd content in malignant tumor significantly differed from that in benign tumor (p<0.01). Cancer patients with positive estrogenreceptors had significantly greater concentration of breast tissue Cd compared to patients with negative estrogenreceptors (p=0.035). Adjusted for creatinine Cd in urine was significantly higher in cancer patients than in controls (p<0.001). In cancer patients a positive Spearman's correlation was found between Cd in tumor and healthy breast tissue, blood (r=0.44 and r=0.39, respectively, p<0.01). Correlation between Cd in urine of cancer patients and number of cigarettes smoked during lifetime was suggestive (r=0.59, p=0.075). Conclusion The data obtained show higher concentration of cadmium in breast tumor and urine of cancer patients and support a possible relationship between cadmium and breast cancer.

The study aimed to examine the association between cadmium (Cd) and the risk of breast cancer according to estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). A hospital-based case-control study was carried out in 585 cases and 1,170 controls. Information on possible risk factors was collected via a structured questionnaire. Urinary Cd was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The ER and HER2 levels in tumor tissue were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer by creatinine-adjusted urinary Cd. Women with greater creatinine-adjusted urine Cd (3rd quartile: 0.241-0.399 μg/g and 4th quartile: ≥ 0.4 μg/g) experienced 1.6 times higher risk of breast cancer compared with those having Cd concentration lower than 0.147 μg/g (1st quartile) [OR = 1.6, (95 % CI 1.19, 2.17) and OR = 1.62 (95 % CI 1.19, 2.21), respectively, P trend = 0.001] after adjustment for age and other confounders. Both ER+ and HER2- cases from the highest quartile of urine Cd exhibited approximately twice the breast cancer risk of those in the lowest quartile [OR = 1.9, (95 % CI 1.31, 2.74) and OR = 1.87, (95 % CI 1.33, 2.62), respectively, P trend <0.001) after adjustment for confounders. The data support cadmium as a risk factor for breast cancer, especially for both ER+ and HER2- cancer patients.

ĮvadasKadmis yra vienas toksiškiausių sunkiųjų metalų, kuris, toksinių medžiagų ir ligų registro duomenimis, priklauso 20 pavojingiausių elementų sąrašui (1). Žalingas metalo poveikis žmogui padidėjo išaugus šio metalo panaudojimui pramonėje: nikelio-kadmio baterijų, pigmentų, plastmasių, cinko ir kitų specialiųjų lydinių, trąšų ir pesticidų gamyboje. Dėl to padidėjo atmosferos oro, dirvožemio, vandens užterštu-mas kadmiu (2). Kadmis naudojamas kosmetinių priemonių (3, 4), dantų protezų gamybai (5, 6). Kadmio yra tabake, kur jo koncentracija svyruoja nuo 1 iki 2 mg/g sausojo svorio -tai atitiktų 0,5-1 mg vienoje cigaretėje (7). Į žmogaus organizmą šis metalas patenka per virškinimo ir kvėpavimo organų sistemas. Per dieną 70 kg sveriantis žmogus su maistu gali gauti iki 70 µg kadmio, tačiau tik apie 5 proc. metalo rezorbuojasi virškinamajame trakte (2,8). Galimi šio metalo absorbcijos svyravimai. Padidėjusi kadmio absorbcija nustatyta metalui jautrioms moterims (9) arba moterims, kurioms trūksta geležies (10, 11). Kvėpa-vimo takuose rezorbuojasi iki 50 proc. į juos patekusio metalo. Apie 10 proc. įkvėpto kadmio oksido nusėda plaučių audinyje, 30-40 proc. absorbuojasi į rūkančių-jų kraują (7).Kadmis yra plaučių vėžį sukeliantis kancerogenas (12). Kai kurie tyrimai rodo, jog kadmis gali būti ir krūties vėžio rizikos veiksnys. Nustatyta, kad moterims, kurių šlapime rasta du ir daugiau kartų didesnė kadmio koncentracija, buvo daugiau kaip du kartus didesnė rizika susirgti krūties vėžiu (13). Daugiau kaip septynis kartus didesnė rizika susirgti krūties vėžiu

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Background. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, comprising about 23% of all cancer types. About 1300 new cases of breast cancer are registered in Lithuania annually. During the last decade, health-related quality of life has become an important part of breast cancer treatment. Pain, fatigue, and sleep disorders are important aspects of health-related quality of life. The aim of the study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL) among patients with breast cancer in Lithuania. The main tasks were to analyze HRQL in sociodemographic and clinical aspects, and to determine symptoms that have the greatest impact on HRQL . Material and methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out in four major Lithuanian hospitals. An EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3) questionnaire with general demographic and medical information was distributed among 318 patients. A total of 284 patients were included in the analysis. Results. The response rate was 89%. The mean age of patients was 55.9 years (SD, 10.1 years), and the mean time from diagnosis – 2.36 years (SD, 3.2 years). A greater part (65%) of the studied women lived in a family or with a partner. Women reported high level of functioning across several standardized HRQOL scales: cognitive functioning, everyday activity, and physical functioning. Fatigue and sleeping disorders were the most commonly indicated symptoms in the symptom scale. Fatigue and pain were the most important factors affecting general HRQOL. Conclusions. Our results emphasize that the general HRQOL of the studied women is fair, but poorer than that of the corresponding population in other countries. Women living in a family or partnership experienced fewer financial troubles and had higher HRQOL scores across several standardized measures compared to those who were single. Women with late stages of breast cancer felt worse and were less socially active compared to women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

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The direct BC medical cost estimates provided by this analysis can be used to determine priorities for the future research on BC treatment interventions.