Epidemiologic characteristics and trace elements in pancreatic cancer in Greece

Epidemiologic characteristics were studied in a sample of 50 patients with pancreatic cancer admitted at various hospitals of Athens during an 18-month period, and in 206 controls hospitalized during the same period with diagnoses other than cancer, and disorders of liver or pancreas. Trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mg) were determined in all cancer cases and in 63 controls by the Perkin-Elmer model 306 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The main findings were as follows: Cancer of the pancreas was associated with cigarette smoking (relative risk 2.7; P less than 0.05), diabetes mellitus (relative risk 2.1; P less than 0.05), and cholelithiasis (relative risk 3.5; P less than 0.05), but not with alcohol drinking (relative risk 0.7; P less than 0.20) and some other variables. There was a statistically significant increase of serum copper in patients suffering from pancreatic cancer in comparison with noncancer hospital controls. No consistent differences were found with respect to zinc and magnesium.