Comparing the Cadmium, Zinc, Lead, and Copper Concentrations between Lung Cancer Patients and Healthy Iraqi Individuals

Aims Some trace element concentrations could also influence the development of lung cancer. This study aimed to identify certain trace minerals in serum in Iraqi patients with lung cancer and investigate the distribution of these elements compared to healthy people. Instrument & Methods This study was carried out on 100 subjects, including the healthy group (n=35) and the lung cancer patient group (n=65), whose blood samples were kept in the Imam Hussein Center for Cancerous Tumors in Karbala Governorate, Iraq, in 2021. The samples were selected using a simple random sampling method. The level of zinc, copper lead, and cadmium were measured using the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer 6300. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20 software through independent T, ANOVA, Pearson, and Tukey HSD tests. Findings There was a significant difference between the serum concentration of Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn between the healthy males with lung cancer males, and in Cd, and Zn between the healthy females with lung cancer females (p<0.05). Whereas, no significant difference was found between the Pb and Cu serum in healthy and lung cancer females (p<0.05). The results of ANOVA showed a significant difference in the serum concentration of minerals between the healthy and lung cancer subjects (p<0.05). Conclusion Serum zinc levels are lower in lung cancer patients than in healthy subjects, whereas serum lead, cadmium, and copper are higher in lung cancer patients than in healthy subjects.