RESUMEN
This study aimed to determine understanding the role of serum copper, zinc and copper/zinc ratio with tumor staging in people newly diagnosed to be affected with Head and Neck cancer and by comparing with age matched health individuals devoid of any orodental maladies. The study included patients confirmed to be affected with HN cancer with histological diagnosis of Head and Neck cancer (60) and age matched healthy volunteers (N = 23). The demographic details like age, domicile, menopausal status and pathological details (like tumor stage, number of lymph node involvement, tumor size) were collected from the patient's hospital data file. The serum levels of zinc and copper assayed as per standard procedures and the zinc/copper was calculated for the cancer patients and controls. The data were subjected to unpaired "t" test and ANOVA with Bonferroni's multiple comparisons. The association between zinc and copper levels with pathological details between the variables was ascertained using the Pearson correlation coefficient(r). A statistical value of p < 0.05 was considered to be significant in agreeance to the accepted norms. Results: This result of the study indicates that when compared to the healthy individuals, the serum levels of copper, and zinc, and copper/zinc ratio were high in patients with H&N cancer. Also when compared with controls, the levels of zinc decreased, while that of copper and copper/zinc ratio increased in people affected with H&N cancer (p = 0.017 to 0.0001) and with the stage of the tumor (p = 0.03 to 0.001). The results of the study suggest that levels of serum zinc were significantly lower and that of copper higher in H&N cancer patients than that in controls and also that it was dependent on the tumor stage. When analyzed cumulatively the results hint that zinc and copper, due to their role in free radical generation and prevention have an important role in cancer progression and possible prevention by judicious intervention.
RESUMEN
Increase in the genomic instability by 10 ng of vincristine (VCR) pretreatment was studied in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 Gy gamma radiation by the micronucleus assay. The frequency of micronucleated binucleate lymphocytes (MNBNC) increased in a dose dependent manner after exposure to different doses of gamma radiation and the dose response was linear. The pre-treatment of lymphocytes with 10 ng/ml VCR caused a further elevation in the frequency of MNBNC and this was significantly greater than that of the concurrent PBS pre-treated irradiated lymphocytes. The dose response for VCR treated group was linear up to 1 Gy irradiation. A further increase in the radiation dose resulted in a decline in the induction of MNBNC in VCR pretreated irradiated group, although it was significantly higher than the PBS treated irradiated group. VCR pretreatment not only increased the frequency of MNBNC with one micronuclei but also the frequency of MNBNC with 2, 3 and 4 MN significantly, indicating the increase in the multiple sites of damage to DNA by VCR pre-treatment. This increase in multiple MNBNC was also dose dependent, however, the dose response was linear quadratic.