Zinc Deficiency Is Associated With Gynecologic Cancer Recurrence

The study aimed to explore the relationship between serum zinc levels and the development and recurrence of gynecologic cancers. It was conducted retrospectively at Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital, where serum zinc concentrations were measured in patients with benign disease or cancer before treatment. The study found no significant difference in zinc levels between cancer and noncancer patients preoperatively, suggesting that zinc deficiency is not associated with the development of gynecologic cancers. However, post-treatment, patients with gynecologic cancer had significantly lower zinc levels, and those with recurrent cancer were 4.8 times more likely to have zinc deficiency compared to patients without recurrence. A serum zinc level below 61 μg/dL was identified as an independent predictor of cancer recurrence, with a recurrence rate of 69% once zinc deficiency occurred. The study concludes that zinc deficiency is linked to the recurrence of gynecologic cancers and highlights the importance of monitoring zinc levels during patient care.