Comparing the concentration of radon and uranium, with the concentration of some elements in biological samples of lung cancer: A comparative study

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world. Since this malignancy is influenced by a variety of genetic, environmental, and occupational factors, early diagnosis helps to enhance care and improve treatment outcomes. In this study, we measured the concentrations of some trace elements using the atomic absorption spectroscopy, while radon and uranium concentrations were measured using a nuclear track detector (CR-39) and were then compared to the levels of the trace elements. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee. Lung cancer samples were collected at the National Hospital for Oncology and Hematology and medical clinics in the Najaf Governorate, between March 2022 and June 2023. The levels of uranium and four elements (zinc, copper, lead and cadmium) were measured in the serum samples of the affected patients and the controls of both genders. While the cancer patients of both genders had the highest average radon concentrations, lifetime risk ratios and uranium levels, their zinc concentrations were lower than in the healthy controls. The average amounts of copper, cadmium, and lead in the blood samples from the lung cancer patients were greater than those in the control group. There was a positive correlation between uranium concentrations and copper, lead and cadmium levels (indicating that these elements are influenced by mechanical and biological changes), while zinc and uranium concentrations were inversely correlated. A statistical comparison of radon concentrations in both studied groups of both genders revealed that the mean radon levels were significantly higher in the cancer patients compared to the healthy subjects.