7 research outputs found
Selenium in serum and neoplastic tissue in breast cancer: correlation with CEA
Trace element selenium (Se) is regarded to be a breast cancer preventive factor involved in multiple protective pathways. In all, 80 women with breast cancer who underwent a radical mastectomy were enrolled in the study. Serum Se and carcinoembryonic antigen levels were measured using a fluorometric and IRMA assay, respectively. Se tissue concentration was determined by a tissue extracting fluorometric assay. For statistical analysis purposes t-test was used and P-values <0.001 were regarded as statistically significant. Serum Se was 42.5±7.5âÎŒgâlâ1 in breast cancer patients and 67.6±5.36âÎŒgâlâ1 in the age-matched control group of healthy individuals. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen in patients was 10±1.7âUâmlâ1 (normal <2.5âUâmlâ1 in nonsmokers/<3.5âUâmlâ1 in smokers). A statistically significant difference was found for both serum Se and CEA between two groups studied (P<0.001). Neoplastic tissue Se concentration was 2660±210âmgâgâ1 tissue; its concentration in the adjacent non-neoplastic tissue was 680±110âmgâgâ1 tissue (P<0.001). An inverse relationship between Se and CEA serum levels was found in the two groups studied (r=â0.794). There was no correlation between serum/tissue Se concentration and stage of the disease. The decrease in serum Se concentration as well as its increased concentration in the neoplastic breast tissue is of great significance. These alterations may reflect part of the defence mechanisms against the carcinogenetic process