Serum zinc level and prostatic lesion

To find out if there is any association of serum zinc level with different prostatic lesions like - benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic intraepithelial lesion (PIN) and frank prostatic carcinoma. Serum zinc level was measured by colorimetric method using RA50 semi autoanalyser from 49 patients having different prostatic pathology (BPH 13, PIN 31, carcinoma 5) and 30 age matched control who had no prostatic complaints. Statisticaly significant (p<0.01) gradual increased zinc level were found in patients having prostatic lesions. In BPH the serum (mean ± SD) zinc level was 101 ± 26.15, in low grade PIN 116 ± 21.34, high grade PIN 117 ± 20.95 and in frank prostatic carcinoma it was 139 ± 11.09 μgm/dl. Our results show statistical significant gradual increase of serum Zinc in BPH, PIN and frank prostatic carcinoma patients. Serum zinc level estimation can be routinely used as adjuvant for evaluation of prostatic lesion.