Andrews G S
J Clin Pathol. 1979 Apr;32(4):325-33. doi: 10.1136/jcp.32.4.325.
The levels of plasma zinc, copper, caeruloplasmin, and growth hormone were determined in a group of normal people and in four groups of patients who were suffering from carcinoma of the bronchus, other forms of malignancy, chest illnesses, and diseases other than chest illness or malignancy. The plasma zinc was higher, and the plasma copper lower, in people without malignancy below the age of 30 years than they were in other age groups.It was confirmed that about 66% of patients with carcinoma of the bronchus had plasma zinc levels less than 11.5 mumol/l but low levels were also found in 23% of other cases of malignancy and in 9% of the other patients. In carcinoma of the bronchus the low plasma zinc was found to be associated with epidermoid and anaplastic tumours and was to some extent related to the duration of the disease. In carcinoma of the bronchus the plasma copper was found to be higher than in all other groups, and values higher than 26.5 mumol/l were considered to support a diagnosis of carcinoma of the bronchus. There was, however, no relationship between the increase in the plasma copper and the decrease in the plasma zinc.Raised caeruloplasmin levels above 420 mg/l were found in 65% of cases of carcinoma of the bronchus, and these high levels were usually associated with raised plasma copper. Growth hormone was normal in all groups except six patients with carcinoma of the bronchus with secondary carcinoma of the liver, in whom it was raised. Surgical operations lowered plasma zinc and raised growth hormone but did not affect plasma copper.A plasma zinc below 11.5 mumol/l is helpful in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the bronchus, but by itself it is not sufficiently specific to be considered diagnostic or to form a reliable screening test. A raised plasma copper and a raised plasma caeruloplasmin were useful supportive findings.
对一组正常人以及四组患者的血浆锌、铜、铜蓝蛋白和生长激素水平进行了测定。这四组患者分别患有支气管癌、其他恶性肿瘤、胸部疾病以及非胸部疾病或恶性肿瘤的其他疾病。30岁以下无恶性肿瘤的人群血浆锌水平较高，而血浆铜水平较低，高于其他年龄组。已证实，约66%的支气管癌患者血浆锌水平低于11.5μmol/L，但在23%的其他恶性肿瘤病例和9%的其他患者中也发现了低水平。在支气管癌中，低血浆锌与鳞状上皮癌和间变性肿瘤有关，并且在一定程度上与疾病持续时间有关。在支气管癌中，发现血浆铜高于所有其他组，高于26.5μmol/L的值被认为支持支气管癌的诊断。然而，血浆铜的升高与血浆锌的降低之间没有关系。在65%的支气管癌病例中发现铜蓝蛋白水平高于420mg/L，这些高水平通常与血浆铜升高有关。除了六例患有支气管癌并继发肝癌的患者生长激素升高外，所有组的生长激素均正常。手术操作会降低血浆锌并升高生长激素，但不影响血浆铜。血浆锌低于11.5μmol/L有助于支气管癌的诊断，但仅凭这一点其特异性不足以被视为诊断依据或形成可靠的筛查试验。血浆铜升高和血浆铜蓝蛋白升高是有用的支持性发现。
