Serum levels of selenium, manganese, copper, and iron in colorectal cancerpatients

This article describes a study in which four trace elements (Se, Mn, Cu, an d Fe) were analyzed in the blood serum of the patients with colorectal canc er from the Moravian region of the Czech Republic. Atomic absorption spectr ometry with graphite furnace atomization was used for analysis of selenium and manganese and with flame atomization for analysis of copper and iron. T he observed serum concentrations in adenocarcinoma colorectal patients of s elenium were significantly lower (41.8 +/- 11.6 mug/L) and those of mangane se (16.3 +/- 4.5 mug/L) and iron (2.89 +/- 1.23 mg/L) were significantly hi gher as compared to the age-matched control group. Copper serum content (0. 95 +/- 0.28 mg/L) did not significantly differ as compared to healthy popul ation.