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Analysis of trace elements in the fingernails of breast cancer patients using instrumental neutron activation analysis

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to find trace elements that increase risk of breast cancer based on the deviation of the concentration of trace elements in the fingernail collected from the women with breast cancer and the normal women. The study was conducted with 10 elements (As, Au, Br, Co, Cr, Fe, Sb, Sc, Se, and Zn) using k0-INAA and statistical analysis method. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found for Cr, Fe, Sc and Zn between the case and the control groups. A significant correlation between Fe and Zn has found for the normal women, but this disappears in the women with breast cancer. On the contrary, a significant correlation between As and Cr has found in the case group, but no such correlation has noticed for the control group. The elements Cr, Fe, and Zn may be associated to the risk of breast cancer.

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Acknowledgements

This research is funded by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 103.04-2017.311. The authors thank the staff of INAA Lab, Dalat Nuclear Research Institute, supported during neutron irradiation. Thank to doctor - nurses in the Department of Oncology, Dong Nai General Hospital, supported for sample collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Physics, University of Science, VNU-HCM, 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Phuong Truc Huynh & Loan Thi Hong Truong

  2. Department of Oncology, Dong Nai General Hospital, 2 Dong Khoi Street, Bien Hoa City, Vietnam

    Trinh Pham Ngoc Tran & Binh Thanh Dinh

  3. Nuclear Technique Laboratory, Building B23, Linh Trung Campus, University of Science, VNU-HCM, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Linh Thi Truc Nguyen & Loan Thi Hong Truong

  4. Nuclear Research Institute, 1 Nguyen Tu Luc Street, Dalat, Vietnam

    Anh Tuan Tran & Dung Manh Ho

  5. Center for Nuclear Techniques, 217 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Dung Manh Ho

  6. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Science, VNU-HCM, 227 Nguyen Van Cu, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Dong Van Nguyen

Authors
  1. Phuong Truc Huynh
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  2. Trinh Pham Ngoc Tran
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  3. Binh Thanh Dinh
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  4. Linh Thi Truc Nguyen
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  5. Loan Thi Hong Truong
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  6. Anh Tuan Tran
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  7. Dung Manh Ho
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  8. Dong Van Nguyen
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Huynh Truc Phuong, Tran Tuan Anh, Tran Pham Ngoc Trinh, and Nguyen Thi Truc Linh. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Huynh Truc Phuong and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. The manuscript was edited and revised by Nguyen Van Dong. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Phuong Truc Huynh.

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We have no conflict of interest.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

Research has carried out on the fingernail of breast cancer patients.

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This study was approved by the ethics committee of Dong Nai General Hospital and participants.

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Huynh, P.T., Tran, T.P.N., Dinh, B.T. et al. Analysis of trace elements in the fingernails of breast cancer patients using instrumental neutron activation analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 324, 663–671 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07093-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07093-w

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