Study of toxic and essential elemental imbalances at more advance stage of breast carcinoma patients

Delayed diagnosis and limited access to healthcare resources are leading to advanced stage breast carcinoma posing a formidable health challenge to modern medical science. Avoiding the occurrence of breast carcinoma is only possible by ascertaining the risk factors contributing to the progression of this fatal malignancy. Among other factors, exposure to trace elements plays a decisive role in progression of breast carcinoma development. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the harmful traces and vital components (Pb, Ca, Mn, Cd, Na, Cr, Cu, Mg, Sr, K, Fe, Zn, Co, Li, Se, Ag, Hg, As, Al and Ni) contents in the blood (n = 161), scalp hair (n = 149) and nails (n = 135) of stage IV breast carcinoma patients and female controls by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results revealed that mean Cr, Cu, Pb and Cd levels were elevated significantly (p < 0.05) in the nails and blood, while Ni, Co, Cr, Pb and Cd levels (p < 0.05) were elevated in the scalp hair of stage IV breast carcinoma patients than the female controls. Based on pathological breast cancer types, Pb and Cd were elevated in invasive ductal carcinoma, while Cu and Co were higher in invasive lobular carcinoma patients. Multivariate analysis was applied for the source of identification and apportionment of toxic trace elements in both donor groups. Most of the factors showed significant differences between the malignant and control groups' dietary, housing, and tobacco use/nonuse behaviors. The correlation analysis revealed significantly different association patterns for toxic trace elements in patients and controls and has an influential effect on cancer risk. Overall, the current study indicates a potential role of toxic trace elements in the development of breast carcinoma and these findings could be significant in the predicting diagnosis/prognosis of breast malignancy.