Trace elements and superoxide dismutase in benign and malignant breast diseases

This study was planned to determine the probable changes in trace elementlevels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in women with neoplasticbreast diseases. Measurements were performed in three different groups. Thefirst group consisted of 20 healthy women, control group, the second groupcontained 16 patients with benign breast disease and the third groupcontained 39 patients with malignant breast disease. The trace elementconcentrations were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometryand SOD activity by using spectrophotometry. When compared with the controlvalues, the plasma copper levels were slightly increased in the second groupand significantly in the third group (p < 0.001). The difference betweenthe benign and malignant groups was also significant (p < 0.001). The redcell copper values showed a marked decrease in both groups (p < 0.001).Although there were increases in the plasma zinc levels of both patientgroups, the differences were not significant statistically. But, the redcell zinc values showed an significant increase in benign and malignantpatients compared to the control group (p < 0.001) (p < 0.001). Theplasma magnesium and red cell magnesium values did not show significantdifferences. The red cell SOD activity showed an significant increase in thebenign and malignant patient groups (p < 0.001). The results of thisstudy suggested that reactive oxygen metabolites may play a pathogeneticrole in both benign and malignant tumor development, which is reflected bythe change in SOD activity, and in trace element concentrations.