serum copper, zinc levels and copper/zinz ratio as biochemical markers in diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer patients

serum copper, zinc and the cu/zn ratio were measured in 55 patients with breast disease (20 with benign breast disease and 35 patients with breast cancer) and 30 healthy subjects. the mean serum copper levels were higher in breast cancer than in benign breast diseases (127.5 µg/dl versus 92.4 µg/dl) (p<0.0005) and controls (127.5 µg/dl versus 75.6 µg/dl) (p<0.0005). patients with advanced breast cancer had higher serum copper levels than did patients with early breast cancer (163 µg/dl versus 103.9 µg/dl) (p<0.0005). patients with advanced breast cancer had lower serum zinc levels than did patients with benign breast disease (68.9 µg/dl versus 135.9 µg/dl) (p<0.0005) and controls (68.9 µg/dl versus 129.9 µg/dl) (p<0.0005) but no significant difference have seen between serum zinc levels of early and advanced breast cancer patients (68.9 µg/dl versus 72.9 µg/dl) (p<0.05). serum zinc levels were not decreased in patients with benign breast disease