Background: The changed mineral status is well known in different tumor types. This phenomenon has influenced the redox potential of patients suffering from solid cancers. A prospective trial was conducted to evaluate the specifics for untreated head and neck cancer patients.
Material and methods: We included 100 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region before each kind of treatment. Following serum-concentrations were measured by atom absorption spectrometry: selenium, copper, zinc, and ferrum. Additionally we evaluated the activity of glutathion peroxidase and the concentration of malondialdehyde of the serum.
Results: 66 % of all patients have shown a decreased serum-concentration of selenium. These patients were additionally characterized by decreased activities of endogenous glutathionperoxiase. A third of all patients had decreased zinc and iron levels. Copper was found enhanced in 30 %. In trend the malondialdehyde was increasing due to decreasing selenium levels.
Conclusions: Head neck cancer patients show the same characteristic trace element status as other solid tumors: decreased selenium, zinc and iron, increased copper. The therapeutic consequences of these observations are still unclear.