Prostatic Zn determination for prostate cancer diagnosis.

We present our studies of prostatic Zn concentration measurements, carried out in the light of a novel prostate cancer (CAP) diagnosis method proposed by us. The method is based on in vivo prostatic Zn mapping by XRF trans-rectal probe. We report on the extensive clinical studies, intended to assess the validity of the novel proposed diagnostic method.

Clinical assessment of the cancer diagnostic value of prostatic zinc: a comprehensive needle-biopsy study.

Background: The correlation between Zinc concentration in the prostate's peripheral zone to the onset or presence of malignant process needs to be evaluated in detail.

Methods: Zinc concentration was measured in approximately 1-4 mm3 segments of fresh needle-biopsy cores, with X-ray fluorescence, and correlated with the histological findings of these tissue segments.

Results: Local Zinc concentration is correlated with the presence of cancer (PCa); the higher the Gleason score the greater the Local Zinc depletion.