RECENT research has uncovered significant differences in copper, selenium, and cadmium levels between colorectal cancer (CRC) tumour tissues and adjacent healthy tissues, suggesting these elements may play a role in disease progression.
A team led by Michał Kiełbus and colleagues analysed paired samples from 62 patients with confirmed CRC to better understand how elemental imbalances relate to clinical features.
Elemental Profiles Distinguish Colorectal Cancer and Healthy Tissue
The study measured concentrations of ten elements – aluminium, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium, strontium, and cadmium – using microwave-assisted acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Statistical analyses and machine-learning techniques, including Boruta feature selection, were applied to identify key associations between element levels and clinical parameters.
Significant differences were observed for manganese, copper, zinc, selenium, strontium, and cadmium between tumour and noncancerous tissues. Cadmium levels were higher in the healthy tissues of female patients (p_adj = 0.021), while selenium concentrations decreased with advancing disease (Stage I vs. III; p = 0.017, p_adj = 0.051). Elevated copper levels in tumour tissues, along with lymph node status and Tumour Node Metastasis (TNM) stage, emerged as important discriminators of disease characteristics, highlighting potential links between metal imbalances and CRC progression.
Clinical Significance and Implications
These findings indicate that elemental profiling could provide valuable complementary information to conventional CRC diagnostics. Distinct copper patterns in tumours may reflect disease stage and tumour biology, while selenium depletion with advancing cancer could signal increased oxidative stress or impaired protective mechanisms. Cadmium accumulation in healthy tissues of female patients points to potential sex-specific vulnerability that warrants further exploration.
Future Directions in Colorectal Cancer Research
While these results are promising, larger, longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm these associations and assess therapeutic implications. Expanding research into how essential and toxic elements interact within the tumour microenvironment could inform novel diagnostic tools, prognostic markers, and personalised interventions in colorectal cancer management.
Colorectal cancer remains a major global health challenge, and integrating elemental profiling with established diagnostic approaches could improve understanding of disease mechanisms, refine prognostic assessments, and guide clinical decision-making.
References
Kiełbus M et al. Clinical relevance of tissue copper, selenium, and cadmium alterations in colorectal cancer. Sci Rep. 2026; DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-37256-w.
