The association between trace metals in both cancerous and non-cancerous tissues with the risk of liver and gastric cancer progression in northwest China.

Liver cancer and gastric cancer have extremely high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. It is well known that an increase or decrease in trace metals may be associated with the formation and development of a variety of diseases, including cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the contents of aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in cancerous liver and gastric tissues, compared to adjacent healthy tissues, and to investigate the relationship between trace metals and cancer progression. During surgery, multiple samples were taken from the cancerous and adjacent healthy tissues of patients with liver and gastric cancer, and trace metal levels within these samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We found that concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in tissues from patients with liver cancer were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (P < 0.05). Similarly, patients with gastric cancer also showed lower levels of Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn-but higher levels of Cu and Se-compared to the controls (P < 0.05). In addition, patients with liver and gastric cancers who had poorly differentiated tumours and positive lymph node metastases showed lower levels of trace metals (P < 0.05), although no significant changes in their concentrations were observed to correlate with sex, age, or body mass index (BMI). Logistic regression, principal component analysis (PCA), Bayesian kernel regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and quantile-based g computing (qgcomp) models were used to analyse the relationships between trace metal concentrations in liver and gastric cancer tissues and the progression of these cancers. We found that single or mixed trace metal levels were negatively associated with poor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in both liver and gastric cancer, and the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) of each metal showed that Cd contributed the most to poor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in both liver and gastric cancer (all PIP = 1.000). These data help to clarify the relationship between changes in trace metal levels in cancerous liver and gastric tissues and the progression of these cancers. Further research is warranted, however, to fully elucidate the mechanisms and causations underlying these findings.

Yan J ，Zhang H ，Zhang M ，Tian M ，Nie G ，Xie D ，Zhu X ，Li X ... -  《-》

Association between Heavy Metals and Trace Elements in Cancerous and Non-cancerous Tissues with the Risk of Colorectal Cancer Progression in Northwest China.

Alterations in heavy metals and trace element levels may be associated with various cancers. However, the role of this interaction in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is unclear. In recent years, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models have provided new ideas for analyzing the effects of metal mixtures on CRC progression. Herein, we assessed the differences in the levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in tumors and adjacent healthy tissues, to investigate the relationship between heavy metals/trace elements and CRC progression. Surgical samples of CRC and noncancerous tissues were collected, and trace metal levels were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Logistic regression, PCA, and BKMR models were used to investigate the relationship between heavy metals and trace elements and the degree of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in CRC. Cancer tissues showed lower As, Cd, Co, and Cr concentrations, and higher Se concentrations than healthy tissues (P < 0.05). In addition, CRC patients with poorly differentiated tumors and/or positive lymph node metastases had lower levels of Cd, Zn, Cu, and Se (P < 0.05). Logistic regression showed that single metal concentration was negatively correlated with CRC progression. PCA and BKMR models also showed that the metal mixture concentration was negatively correlated with CRC progression, with Cd contributing the most. Overall, changes in heavy metal and trace element levels may be related to the development of CRC; however, further mechanistic studies are required.

Zhang H ，Yan J ，Nie G ，Li X ... -  《-》

Association between trace element concentrations in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues with the risk of gastrointestinal cancers in Eastern Iran.

This study was conducted to investigate the association between trace elements including cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) in gastrointestinal cancer tissue and non-cancerous tissue (suspected gastrointestinal cancer) in Eastern Iran. The samples of 63 gastrointestinal cancers (stomach (n = 20), esophageal (n = 19), and colorectal (n = 24) along with 63 controls in South Khorasan Province, Iran, were collected and analyzed using ICP-MS (Agilent 7900). Our results indicated that the concentrations of Co (1.3 ± 0.8, 1.3 ± 0.8 μg kg-1), Cr (8.1 ± 7.3, 11.0 ± 14.8 μg kg-1), Ni (29.0 ± 20.1, 39.5 ± 30.2 μg kg-1), Pb (6.9 ± 4.0, 6.1 ± 4.6 μg kg-1), and Zn (867.6 ± 159.1, 935.6 ± 196.2 μg kg-1) were significantly higher among esophagus and colon cancer cases than controls (p < 0.05). Similarly, stomach cancer cases showed higher Co, Cr, Ni, Se, and Zn and lower Cu concentrations than their controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the Spearman correlation between metals revealed a mostly low to moderate correlation between metals. Our finding illustrated that the significant risk differences of Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn metals on esophagus cancer when considered the single predictor unadjusted for other metals and covariates RD (95% CI) - Cr: -0.274 (-0.463, -0.086), Ni: -0.288 (-0.457, -0.118), Pb: -0.171 (-0.463, -0.086), Se: -0.243 (-0.434, -0.051), and Zn: -0.094 (-0.143, -0.045) respectively. This study suggests that the trace element's exposure may be associated with gastrointestinal cancer risk. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying trace element carcinogenesis further.

Nozadi F ，Azadi N ，Mansouri B ，Tavakoli T ，Mehrpour O ... -  《-》

Mixture effects of trace element levels on cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes risk in adults using G-computation analysis.

There is an increasing concern about the health effects of exposure to a mixture of pollutants. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum levels of heavy/essential metals ([Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn)]) and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Data were collected from 450 participants (150 with CVDs, 150 with T2D, and 150 healthy subjects) randomly selected from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort in Western Iran, covering the years 2018-2023. Trace element levels in the serum samples were assayed using ICP-MS. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted risk of exposure to single and multi-metals and CVD/T2D. Odds ratios were adjusted for age, sex, education, residential areas, hypertension, and BMI. The mixture effect of exposure to multi-metals and CVD/T2D was obtained using Quantile G-computation (QGC). In the logistic regression model, chromium, nickel, and zinc levels were associated with CVD, and significant trends were observed for these chemical quartiles (P < 0.001). Arsenic, chromium, and copper levels were also associated with T2D. The weight quartile sum (WQS) index was significantly associated with both CVD (OR 4.17, 95% CI 2.16-7.69) and T2D (OR 11.96, 95% CI 5.65-18.26). Cd, Pb, and Ni were the most heavily weighed chemicals in these models.The Cd had the highest weight among the metals in the CVD model (weighted at 0.78), followed by Hg weighted at 0.197. For T2D, the serum Pb (weighted at 0.32), Ni (weighted at 0.19), Cr (weighted at 0.17), and Cd (weighted at 0.14) were the most weighted in the G-computation model. The results showed the significant role of toxic and essential elements in CVDs and T2D risk. This association may be driven primarily by cadmium and mercury for CVDs and Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd for T2D, respectively. Prospective studies with higher sample sizes are necessary to confirm or refute our preliminary results as well as to determine other important elements.

Mansouri B ，Rezaei A ，Sharafi K ，Azadi N ，Pirsaheb M ，Rezaei M ，Nakhaee S ... -  《Scientific Reports》

Evaluating tissue levels of the eight trace elements and heavy metals among esophagus and gastric cancer patients: A comparison between cancerous and non-cancerous tissues.

Considering the affecting role of environmental factors including trace elements and heavy metals on the upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, there is paucity of empirical research in tissue evaluations. The present study aimed to measure the tissue content of some trace elements and heavy metals such as zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and iron (Fe) in esophagus and gastric cancerous tissues compared to the adjacent healthy tissues. In a cross-sectional study, the aforementioned trace elements and heavy metals were evaluated among patients with esophagus and gastric cancers. During endoscopy, multiple samples were taken from cancerous lesions and the adjacent healthy tissues. The classic flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) method was employed as the study framework. Fifty patients with the mean age of 53.92 ± 8.73 were enrolled in the current study. Thirteen patients suffered from esophageal cancer and thirty-seven patients were afflicted with gastric cancer. The results revealed significant differences in the median concentrations of Zn, Cr, Sn and, Cu (P < 0.05) between the two groups. Although there were no significant changes in the tissue content in the esophageal samples, in the median concentrations of Zn, Cr and, Sn (P < 0.05) in gastric tissues, significant differences were observed. Further, the results indicated that gender enacted an affecting role in the level of some trace elements and heavy metals. The tissue contents of some elements were altered in gastric and esophageal cancers; this difference may reflect the underlying mechanism of cellular changing during the tumorigenesis or direct exposure of these elements. It seems that under the shade of other coexisting risk factors, larger cohort studies are suggested to be conducted to investigate other probable aspects in this area of interest.

Sohrabi M ，Nikkhah M ，Sohrabi M ，Rezaee Farimani A ，Mirasgari Shahi M ，Ziaie H ，Shirmardi S ，Kohi Z ，Salehpour D ，Safarnezhad Tameshkel F ，Hajibaba M ，Zamani F ，Ajdarkosh H ，Sohrabi M ，Gholami A ... -  《-》