Comparative study of trace elements in blood, scalp hair and nails of prostate cancer patients in relation to healthy donors.

Prostate cancer is the most common fatal cancers in men, and exposure to toxic elements is the most important factor in the aetiology for prostate cancer. Selected elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were analyzed in the blood, scalp hair and nails of prostate cancer patients and counterpart healthy donors by atomic absorption spectrometry. Average concentrations of Cd, Mn, Ni and Pb were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the blood, scalp hair and nails of the patients compared with those of the healthy subjects who exhibited significantly higher concentrations of Zn. The correlation study revealed significantly diverse relationships of the elements in the blood, scalp hair and nails of the two donor groups. Variations in the elemental concentrations were also noted for various types of prostate cancer (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma), as well as for different stages of the cancer. Multivariate apportionment of trace elements in the blood, scalp hair and nails of the patients was also significantly different than that in the healthy donors. The study evidenced considerably divergent variations in the elemental concentrations in prostate cancer patients in comparison with healthy subjects.