STUDY OF TRACE-ELEMENTS IN BLOOD OF CANCER-PATIENTS BY PROTON-INDUCEDX-RAY-EMISSION (PIXE) ANALYSIS

Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis was employed to determin e the concentrations of six elements in the plasma and erythrocytes of 18 cancer subjects (15 males and 3 females) with neoplastic disorders and in 70 controls (35 males and 35 females). It was found that the c oncentrations of Br, K, and Zn were significantly elevated in the eryt hrocytes of the cancer subjects compared to the controls, whereas the concentration of Fe was significantly depressed, but with no differenc e observed in the concentration of Ca. In the plasma, the concentratio ns of Br, Cu, Ca, and K were significantly elevated, whereas the conce ntrations of Fe and Zn were found to be significantly depressed compar ed to the controls.