Role of Copper, Magnesium, and Zinc in Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cirrhosis

Abstract

The present study aimed to estimate the level of copper, magnesium and zinc in patients of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to determine their correlation to pathogenesis of these diseases. A case-control study was conducted on thirty subjects that were included as control (group) I obtained from blood transfusion donners' healthy subjects. All patients whose coming to the specialized medical hospital Mansoura University from January 2016 till January 2017 were clinically evaluated and investigated to select 70 subjects that were classified into two groups: twenty-five patients with cirrhosis (group II), and forty-five patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (group III). The levels of copper, magnesium and zinc were assessed in the blood of the three groups. Copper level showed significantly increased values while magnesium and zinc were significantly decreased comparing to control group in both cirrhosis and HCC groups separately. There were significant increase in zinc level and significant decrease in magnesium and copper levels in comparison between HCC and cirrhotic groups. Also, a significant negative correlation between zinc and magnesium levels and the advances in liver condition, advances in spleen condition and presence of ascites was observed, while there is non-significant negative correlation between Child-Pugh classification and the levels of zinc and magnesium in cirrhosis and HCC groups. As regards copper level, there was a significant positive correlation between the copper level and the advances in liver condition, advances in spleen condition presence of ascites and Child-Pugh classification. In conclusion, there is association between copper, magnesium and zinc and the severity of the cirrhosis and HCC.