Serum copper concentration as an index of clinical lung injury

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0537-8_25· OSTI ID:6919686

Molteni, A; Ward, W F; Kim, Y T; Shetty, R; Brizio-Molteni, L; Giura, R; Ribner, H; Lomont, M ^[1]

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1. Northwestern Univ. Medical School, Chicago, IL (USA)

The purpose of this ongoing study is to determine whether thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer produces an early increase in serum copper (Cu) concentration, an increase which might predict clinical outcome. Copper and iron concentrations were measured in serum obtained from nonsmall cell lung cancer patients at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after the start of radiotherapy. Control groups included patients irradiated for breast cancer (low dose of radiation to the lung), for endometrial, cervical or prostatic cancer, and patients with congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cutaneous burns with or without smoke inhalation. Serum Cu concentration increased at least 10 micrograms/dl from the pretreatment level in approximately 75% of the adenocarcinoma and squamous cell lung cancer patients, but in only 1 of 4 undifferentiated lung cancer cases. In virtually all of these responders, serum Cu increased to a maximum at 2 weeks after the start of therapy, then plateaued or decreased slightly despite continuing irradiation. Within the subset of squamous cell lung cancers, there was a direct correlation between the degree of histologic differentiation and both baseline serum Cu concentration and the probability of an early increase therein. In contrast, only 33% of breast cancer patients and 15% of endometrial, cervical and prostate cancer patients exhibited an increase in serum Cu concentration at 2 weeks after the start of radiotherapy. Serum Cu concentration was within normal limits in virtually all patients with congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and COPD. Burn patients exhibited a significant reduction in serum Cu, although concomitant smoke inhalation increased serum Cu back to low-normal levels. Serum iron concentration did not change significantly in any category of patients.

• OSTI ID: 6919686
• Journal Information: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology; (USA), Vol. 258; ISSN 0065-2598
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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