The effects of platinum chemotherapy on essential trace elements

The effects of cisplatin chemotherapy on the metabolism of essential trace elements were investigated in 12 patients before and after treatment with cisplatin. In serum, the mean post-treatment concentrations of Cu (13.19 μmoll⁻¹), Zn (9.57 μmoll⁻¹) and Mg (0.54 mmoll⁻¹) were significantly reduced compared with the pre-treatment levels (19.35, 11.86 and 0.67) while Se, caeruloplasmin and C-reactive protein concentrations were unaltered. Urinary excretion of Cu, Mg and Zn were enhanced. The urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity (a marker of proximal renal tubular dysfunction) was also increased and suggests the mechanism for decrease of certain t race elements in serum during treatment could be increased urinary excretion caused by impaired cellular metabolism. It is not clear whether the loss of trace elements via the urine has any implication for the clinical status of cancer patients treated with cisplatin.