The evaluation of arsenic and cadmium levels in biological samples of cases with lung cancer.

Introduction: Chronic exposure to the toxic metals plays an important role among the causes of lung cancer beside of smoking. We aimed to evaluate the association between the histopathologic type of lung cancer and arsenic and cadmium levels in biological samples.

Materials And Methods: This study in a single center was conducted through the years 2009-2013, including 72 patients with lung cancer, within a prospective study design. Biological samples (whole blood, scalp hair, urine) of subjects obtained before the treatment, and arsenic and cadmium levels were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The characteristics of lung cancer cases and metal levels were compared statistically (power: 0.74).

Results: Fifty six (77.8%) of patients were non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 16 (22.2%) were small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in 72 study subjects (7 F/65 M, mean age= 62.2 ± 8.7 years). According to TNM staging, 27 of NSCLC were stage IV, 14 of SCLC were extensive disease. In blood, scalp hair and urine samples of cases, mean arsenic levels were 23.1 ± 9.2 µg/L, 0.6 ± 0.3 µg/g and 3.6 ± 1.9 µg/L, while cadmium levels were 1.2 ± 0.8 µg/L, 0.3 ± 0.1 µg/L and 2.8 ± 1.6 µg/L, respectively. A significant negative correlation was found between blood and urine arsenic levels (r= -0.350; p= 0.025). Blood and hair cadmium levels were also significant positive correlated (r= -0.371; p= 0.017). Both of metal levels except of urine arsenic were higher in NSCLC patients than SCLC, without any statistical significance. No significance relation was found in terms of TNM staging and mortality (p> 0.05).

Conclusion: Any difference was observed between the arsenic and cadmium levels measured in biological samples and histopathological type, staging and mortality of patients with lung cancer in this study. We thought that further studies are needed.