Serum copper and zinc measurements in patients with osteogenic sarcoma

Abstract

Serum copper level (SCL), serum zinc level (SZL), and SCUSZL ratio were measured in 18 patients with biopsy-proven osteogenic sarcoma. Measurements were made on sequentially collected serum samples beginning prior to the institution of therapy and continuing periodically until documented relapse. All patients were treated by curative resection and adjuvant therapy consisting of high dose methotrexate (with leucovorin rescue) with or without BCG immunotherapy. The SCL, SZL, and SCUSZL determinations were made using proton-induced x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. SCL was significantly elevated (p < .0001) in the 18 patients with primary untreated osteogenic sarcoma (173 ? 30 pg/dl) compared with a sex and age-matched normal group (115 * 16 pg/dl). A significantly different SZL was not found, however, so that an elevated SCUSZL ratio in the osteogenic sarcoma patients was primarily due to the altered SCL. SCL and SCUSZL did not change significantly following curative surgery or become more abnormal in those patients who developed recurrent disease. The SCL and SCUSZL were noted to be markedly elevated in those patients receiving BCG therapy, thus raising concern regarding the specificity of these tests as markers of tumor activity. SCL, SZL, and SCUSZL did not appear useful as markers of tumor activity in patients with osteogenic sarcoma.Cancer 42:598-602, 1978.STEOGENIC SARCOMA ARISES at a rate of 0 1 per 100,000 persons in the U. S.6The 5-year survival rate for patients with osteogenic sarcoma treated with presumed curative surgery is about 20%,9 with a median survival of 16.5 months.16 The median time to the appearance of metastases is approximately 10 months, with the most common site of relapse being the lung. Recently adjuvant chemotherapy with high dose methotrexate or adriamycin has been e m p l~y e d ,~, '~ in the hope of improving the survival rates.Monitoring progression of disease in these patients has depended for the most part on radiographic demonstration of metastases.

Increased zinc accumulation in mineralized osteosarcoma tissue measured by confocal synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence analysis

“…Among other things, their findings suggest that BALP levels decrease (from levels similar to healthy patients) during preoperative chemotherapy for all patients and significantly lower values for patients with good prognosis compared with patients with poor prognosis during postoperative chemotherapy and after therapy were found. [42] Another study [44] was reported to have found no significantly different serum Zn values in patients with osteosarcoma compared with age-matched and sex-matched controls. Future studies combining measurements of Zn distribution in mineralized healthy and tumorous tissue of osteosarcoma patients as well as of BALP values and serum Zn levels at different stages of the treatment could provide new insights into the role of Zn in osteosarcoma.…”

Immunohistochemical demonstration of ceruloplasmin in follicular adenomas and thyroid carcinomas

“…In clinically normal humans, ceruloplasmin contains 96% of the total serum copper and its serum level is correlated with copper concentration (Gubler et al 1953, Linder et af. 1981); however, serum copper levels are elevated in diverse haematological and lymphatic malignancies (Mortazari et al 1972, Delves, Alexander & Lay 1973), in sarcomas (Fisher et al 1976, Breiter et al 1978, in lung cancer (Scanni et al 1977), in carcinomas of the digestive system (Scanni et al 1977, Inutsuka & Araki 1978, Margalioth, Schenker & Chevion 1983 and in cancers of the female genital tract (Margalioth et al 1983(Margalioth et al , 1985.…”

Prognostic Importance of Anemia Related Parameters in Patients with Carcinoma of the Cervix Uteri

“…However, we found that the plasma iron, plasma copper, ESR and albumin-globulin ratio were strongly correlated to the DFS rate. If we suppose that these parameters present indicators of tumor activity (3,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18), it might explain why the iron level is so strongly correlated to prognosis.…”