Cancer Res Treat.  2016 Jul;48(3):1056-1064. 10.4143/crt.2015.282.

Serum Concentrations of Selenium and Copper in Patients Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer

• Lener MR
• Scott RJ
• Wiechowska-KozÅ‚owska A
• Serrano-Fernández P
• Baszuk P
• Jaworska-Bieniek K
• Sukiennicki G
• Marciniak
• MuszyÅ„ska M
• KÅ‚adny J
• Gromowski
• Kaczmarek
• Jakubowska A
• LubiÅ„ski

• KMID: 2344079
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2015.282

Abstract

PURPOSE
Understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is still insufficient. This study evaluated the associations between concentrations of selenium (Se) and copper (Cu) in the serum of PaCa patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 100 PaCa patients and 100 control subjects from the same geographical region in Poland. To determine the average concentration of Se, Cu, and ratio Cu:Se in the Polish population, assay for Se and Cu was performed in 480 healthy individuals. Serum levels of Se and Cu were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
RESULTS
In the control group, the average Se level was 76 µg/L and Cu 1,098 µg/L. The average Se level among PaCa patients was 60 µg/L and the mean Cu level was 1,432 µg/L. The threshold point at which any decrease in Se concentration was associated with PaCa was 67.45 µg/L. The threshold point of Cu level above which there was an increase in the prevalence of PaCa was 1,214.58 µg/L. In addition, a positive relationship was observed between increasing survival time and Se plasma level.
CONCLUSION
This retrospective study suggests that low levels of Se and high levels of Cu might influence development of PaCa and that higher levels of Se are associated with longer survival in patients with PaCa. The results suggest that determining the level of Se and Cu could be incorporated into a risk stratification scheme for the selection and surveillance control examination to complement existing screening and diagnostic procedures.

Keyword

Selenium; Copper; Pancreatic neoplasms; Retrospective studies

MeSH Terms

Complement System Proteins
Copper*
Humans
Mass Screening
Mass Spectrometry
Pancreatic Neoplasms*
Plasma
Poland
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Selenium*
Complement System Proteins
Copper
Selenium

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. The probability curve of developing pancreatic cancer (odds ratio) for selenium levels (μg/L) shown for a sliding window approach (window size, 30 observations). Values above that line indicate an increased probability, values below indicate a decreased probability of developing pancreatic cancer. The reference proportion is 1:1 for the whole series (odds ratio 1, dotted grey line). A Lowess-regression was applied to these calculated data points to estimate the underlying probability curve. Note that the odds ratio scale is not proportional: e.g., a 10-fold increased probability of developing pancreatic cancer corresponds to odds ratio 10, while a 10-fold decreased probability corresponds to odds ratio 0.1.

• 

  Fig. 2. The probability curve of developing pancreatic cancer (odds ratio) for copper levels (μg/L) shown for a sliding window approach (window size, 30 observations). Values above that line indicate an increased probability, values below indicated a decreased probability of developing pancreatic cancer. The reference proportion is 1:1 for the whole series (odds ratio 1, dotted grey line). A Lowess-regression was applied to these calculated data points to estimate the underlying probability curve. Note that the odds ratio scale is not proportional: e.g., a 10-fold increased probability of developing pancreatic cancer corresponds to odds ratio 10, while a 10-fold decreased probability corresponds to odds ratio 0.1.

• 

  Fig. 3. The probability curve of developing pancreatic cancer (odds ratio) for the ratio of copper to selenium levels shown for a sliding window approach (window size: 30 observations). Values above that line indicate an increased probability, values below indicate a decrease probability of developing pancreatic cancer. The reference proportion is 1:1 for the whole series (odds ratio 1, dotted grey line). A lowess-regreesion was applied to these calculated data points to estimate the underlying probability curve. Note that the odds ratio scale is not proportional: e.g., a 10-fold increased probability of developing pancreatic cancer corresponds to odds ratio 10, while a 10-fold decreased probability corresponds to odds ratio 0.1. For highest proportions of copper to selenium, where there are no controls, just cases, for the overlapping windows odds ratio was conservatively estimated to be the same as the last calculated odds ratio. Such odds ratios were marked with a grey color in the graphic to avoid confusion.

• 

  Fig. 4. The relationship between survival time and selenium (Se) blood plasma level among pancreatic cancer patients (separated for patients still alive and already deceased) is depicted as two regression lines (with confidence intervals shown in gray). Higher Se values seem to be associated with increasing survival time; however, this association is not significant (generalized linear model adjusted for age, sex, pack-years, and survival status, p=0.0820).

Reference

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