Relationship between Blood Uranium Concentration and Tumor Size Using Contrast-enhanced Chest CT Scan in Patients with Lung Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Uranium has been known to pose a significant risk to human life, especially with increased serum concentrations. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between blood uranium concentration and tumor size.

Methods: This case-control study with a convenience sampling technique was conducted at Specialized Oncology Center in Nasiriyah, Iraq, involving 40 lung cancer patients and 40 healthy individuals from February to August 2024. Pregnant females, participants under 40 years of age, and those with indeterminate imaging findings or no available follow-up data were excluded from the study. Venous blood samples of 3 mL were collected from each subject. Two techniques were used for analyzing blood samples using solid-state Nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) named CR-39 detectors to determine serum uranium concentration in patients with lung cancer and healthy people. The serum isolation through centrifugation led to its deposition on CR-39 detectors before their subsequent drying. The samples were exposed to thermal neutrons for 6 days and an optical microscope was used to identify fission tracks. Computed Tomography (CT) was used for tumor staging and tumor size measurement. The materials used in the study included an Americium-Beryllium neutron source, etching solutions, a water bath, and an optical microscope. CT scans were performed on 40 lung cancer patients using a Siemens Somatom 64-slice CT Scanner. The statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 28.

Results: The results showed that patients with lung cancer were significantly older than healthy subjects, with males showing higher prevalence than females. The study shows that most of the patients with lung cancer were smokers. The study also found that patients with lung cancer had higher uranium concentrations in their blood than healthy subjects. The healthy subjects had higher uranium concentrations in Basrah than in Nasiriyah, and lung carcinoma patients had a higher concentration in blood serum in Al- Basrah than in Nasiriyah. Moreover, a strong significant positive correlation was found between the uranium level and tumor size.

Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between tumor growth and serum uranium levels, suggesting that uranium may have a role in the advancement of cancer.