[Diagnostic value of serum copper/zinc ratio in gynecologic tumors]

Serum copper/zinc levels were determined in 39 patients with gynecologic tumors and 20 normal individuals. Of these 39 patients, twenty-two had primary malignant tumors and seventeen had benign growths. All the patients were divided into two groups: treated and untreated. The serum Cu/Zn ratio in the untreated benign tumors was significantly higher than of the normal controls (P less than 0.05). The ratio was much higher in the untreated Stage II-IV malignant tumors than that of the benign group (P less than 0.01). The measurement of serum Cu/Zn ratio is also helpful in observing the clinical course of the disease.