Quantitative determination of chromium and nickel in tumour and tumour-free human tissue

Environmental pollution with carcinogenic substances, in addition to individual abuse, are discussed as important factors causing development of cancer. We must assume that certain nickel and chromium compounds, which are ubiquitous in our ecosystem, must have carcinogenic effects on humans too. The aim of this study is therefore to examine the extent to which the accumulation of the potentially carcinogenic metal ions nickel and chromium could be measured in tissue from tumour patients. We examined tumour and tumour-free tissue obtained from a total of 48 patients who had carcinomas of the stomach, bowel, or kidney. We also analyzed nickel and chromium content in whole blood and urine samples from these persons. The quantitative metal estimations were done using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Differences between chromium and/or nickel content in tumour or tumour-free tissue were not observed. An accumulation of these metal ions in tumour tissue is therefore improbable. We were also unable to find differences in metal content with regard to chromium and nickel as related to the appearance of tumour in the organ. In contrast, tumour patients had a 5- to 7-fold increase over normal values for chromium and nickel in blood and urine. This was attributable to unavoidable contamination of tissue and body fluids with chromium- and nickel-containing instruments during major surgical procedures.