Zinc and cadmium in cell fractions of prostatic cancer tissues of different histological grading in comparison to BPH and normal prostate.

The concentrations of zinc and cadmium in cellular fractions of normal prostate gland, BPH and prostatic carcinomas of different histological grading were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. We found distinct differences in the content of Zn and Cd in the nuclear fractions of malignant tissues in comparison with BPH and normal prostatic tissues. The highest values of Cd were obtained in the nuclear fractions of poorly-differentiated carcinomas. In these samples we also found a low concentration of zinc. In comparison to this the highest Zn-values were found in the nuclear fraction of the BPH.