Abstract
Esophageal cancer is a very deadly disease ranking 8th most common cancer in terms of incidence and the 6th highest in terms of mortality both in the USA and around the world. A growing body of evidence indicated that changes in the concentrations of essential and toxic elements may affect/increase esophagus carcinoma risk. The aim of this study was to measure serum levels of essential and toxic (Fe, Na, Ca, K, Zn, Mg, Co, Se, Cu, Ni, Mn, Sr, Pb, Li, Sb, Cr, Ag, Cd, As, and Hg) elements in patients with esophagus carcinoma and controls. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine serum concentrations of essential and toxic elements by using nitric acid/perchloric acid–based wet digestion method. Mean levels of Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, As, and Ag were exhibited to be significantly higher and mean Se, Co, Zn, Ca, Fe, Hg, Li, and Mg were noted lower in the serum of cancer patients than controls. The correlation coefficients among the elements in the cancerous patients revealed significantly dissimilar communal relationships than the controls. Furthermore, multivariate methods demonstrated considerably different apportionment between the elements in the cancerous patients and the controls. Significant inequalities in the elemental concentrations were also observed for esophagus cancer types (adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and stages (I, II, III, and IV) between the patients. Majority of the elements exposed perceptible disparities in their levels based on smoking habits, dietary habits, habitat, and gender of the esophagus cancer patients and controls. Multivariate analysis of the essential and toxic elemental data explained significantly divergent apportionment in the serum of esophagus cancer patients when compared to controls.
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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (MAQ), upon reasonable request.
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The authors would like to thank the patients and clinicians of PINUM and Allied Hospital Faisalabad that make this work possible. We are appreciative for the technical and financial support provided by the Department of Chemistry, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan, to carry out the present investigations.
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Qayyum MA and Farooq T performed the conception, preparation, and writing. Sultan MH ensured sampling, experiment, and the analysis of results. Qayyum MA and Muddassir K statistically analyze the data as well as the writing of the present article. Farooq Z and Irfan A contributed to the software, experiment, and visualization. Muddassir K contributed in the review and editing as well.
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Qayyum, M.A., Sultan, M.H., Farooq, Z. et al. Quantitative estimation of essential/toxic elemental levels in the serum of esophagus cancer patients in relation to controls. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 83191–83210 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21651-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21651-7