Assessment of essential and toxic elemental concentrations in tumor and non-tumor tissues with risk of colorectal carcinoma in Pakistan

Muhammad Abdul Qayyum; Tahir Farooq; Aqsa Baig; Tanveer Hussain Bokhari; Muhammad Naveed Anjum; Mian Habib-Ur-Rahman Mahmood; Ahmad Raza Ashraf; Khawaja Muddassir; Muhammad Ahmad

doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127234

Assessment of essential and toxic elemental concentrations in tumor and non-tumor tissues with risk of colorectal carcinoma in Pakistan

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2023 Sep:79:127234. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127234. Epub 2023 Jun 7.

Authors

Muhammad Abdul Qayyum¹, Tahir Farooq², Aqsa Baig³, Tanveer Hussain Bokhari³, Muhammad Naveed Anjum², Mian Habib-Ur-Rahman Mahmood⁴, Ahmad Raza Ashraf⁴, Khawaja Muddassir⁵, Muhammad Ahmad⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Division of Science & Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: qayyumkh21@yahoo.com.
² Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
³ Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Division of Science & Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan.
⁵ Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.

PMID: 37302218
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127234

Abstract

Background: Colorectal tumor is a major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality both in USA and around the globe. Exposure to environmental toxicants such as toxic trace elements has been implicated in colorectal malignancy. However, data linking them to this cancer are generally lacking.

Methods: Accordingly, the current study was to investigate the distribution, correlation and chemometric evaluation of 20 elements (Ca, Na, Mg, K, Zn, Fe, Ag, Co, Pb, Sn, Ni, Cr, Sr, Mn, Li, Se, Cd, Cu, Hg and As) in the tumor tissues (n = 147) and adjacent non tumor tissues (n = 147) of same colorectal patients which were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophometry employing nitric acid-perchloric acid based wet digestion method.

Results: On the average, Zn (p < 0.05), Ag (p < 0.001), Pb (p < 0.001), Ni (p < 0.01), Cr (p < 0.005) and Cd (p < 0.001) showed significantly higher levels in the tumor tissues compared with the non tumor tissues of patients, whereas mean levels of Ca (p < 0.01), Na (p < 0.05), Mg (p < 0.001), Fe (p < 0.001), Sn (p < 0.05) and Se (p < 0.01), were significantly elevated in the non tumor tissues than the tissues of tumor patients. Most of the elements revealed markedly disparities in their elemental levels based on food (vegetarian/nonvegetarian) habits and smoking (smoker/nonsmoker) habits of donor groups. The correlation study and multivariate statistical analyses demonstrated some significantly divergent associations and apportionment of the elements in the tumor tissues and non tumor tissues of donors. Noticeably, variations in the elemental levels were also noted for colorectal tumor types (lymphoma, carcinoids tumor and adenocarcinoma) and stages (I, II, III, & IV) in patients.

Conclusion: Overall, the study revealed that disproportions in essential and toxic elemental concentrations in the tissues are involved in pathogenesis of the malignancy. These findings provide the data base that helps to oncologist for diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal malignant patients.

Keywords: Chemometric analyses; Colorectal tumor elements; Pakistan; Tissue.

MeSH terms

Cadmium / analysis
Colorectal Neoplasms*
Humans
Lead / analysis
Multivariate Analysis
Pakistan
Trace Elements* / analysis

Substances

Cadmium
Lead
Trace Elements