Trace Elements in Pleural Effusion Correlates with Smokers with Lung Cancer

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Oncology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Smoking introduces toxic elements into bodily fluids, potentially increasing cancer risk.
• Pleural effusion (PE) in lung cancer patients may reflect systemic changes due to smoking.
• Understanding elemental and biochemical alterations in PE can provide insights into smoking-related lung cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess concentrations of 14 elements and key biochemical parameters in the pleural effusion of lung cancer patients.
• To investigate the association between these parameters and smoking status (current and former smokers vs. non-smokers).
• To explore potential correlations between zinc levels and biochemical markers in pleural effusion.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pleural effusion samples from 48 lung cancer patients (26 non-smokers, 22 smokers).
• Measurement of 14 elements (including zinc) and biochemical parameters: glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total protein (TP).
• Statistical analysis to compare concentrations between smokers and non-smokers and to assess correlations.

Main Results:

• Glucose concentration was significantly higher in current smokers compared to non-smokers.
• Zinc concentration in pleural effusion was significantly lower in all smokers (former and current) than in non-smokers.
• Zinc showed significant correlations with glucose (negative in all smokers), LDH (positive in current smokers), and TP (positive in non-smokers).

Conclusions:

• Smoking is associated with altered zinc and glucose levels in the pleural effusion of lung cancer patients.
• The novel correlations between zinc and biochemical parameters (glucose, LDH, TP) in PE warrant further investigation.
• These findings may contribute to understanding the role of elemental imbalances in smoking-related lung cancer.