URINARY ZINC EXCRETION AND ACUTE-PHASE RESPONSE IN CANCER-PATIENTS

We investigated urinary zinc and serum levels of C-reactive protein, a lpha-1 acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, transferrin and prealbumin in 5 5 patients with solid tumors and 20 controls. Urinary zinc, serum C-re active protein, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin were signifi cantly higher, and serum prealbumin was significantly lower in cancer patients. A significant positive correlation between urinary zinc and C-reactive protein, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin, as well as a negative correlation with transferrin and prealbumin were observ ed. Hyperzincuria in cancer patients appears to be linked to the acute phase response. Our data provide further evidence implicating systemi c inflammatory response in increased urinary zinc excretion.