SOME HEAVY METAL ASSAY IN URINE OF BREAST CANCER AND BREAST CANCER FREE PATIENTS IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
*Ben-Chioma A. E., Obunwo C. C., Ebirien-Agana B. and Boisa N.
ABSTRACT
Urine levels of Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn) were assayed in 150 patients using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). 100 of these test patients were pathologically and histologically positive for breast cancer and while 50 (not positive for breast cancer) served as control. The study was carried out to ascertain if possible, a link between exposure to these metals and the recent upsurge in the incidence and burden of likely environmentally induced breast cancer in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The result showed elevated and significant (p<0.05) levels of all the metals analysed when company to the controls.
Keywords: Urine, heavy metals, AAS, breast cancer, environment.
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