[The copper concentration in the blood serum of women with ovarian tumors (a preliminary report)]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum copper concentration changes in patients with benign cysts or carcinomas of ovary, and to compare these concentrations with the normal reference serum copper levels. Patients included in the study were as follows: benign ovarian cyst cases (n = 19), endometrial cyst cases (n = 5), ovarian carcinoma cases (n = 6), female patients with no ovarian disease (n = 161). Reference serum copper levels in apparently healthy subjects were 16.8 +/- 4.15 mumol/l (mean +/- SD). Serum copper concentration were significantly increased in ovarian carcinoma patients (22.98 +/- 3.90 mumol/l) in comparison with benign cyst patients (18.40 +/- 4.61 mumol/l) (p < 0.05), in with endometrial cyst patients (15.94 +/- 4.24 mumol/l) (p = 0.02), and in comparison with normal levels in controls (p < 0.001). Copper/zinc ratios were highest in ovarian carcinoma patients--1.68, intermediate in benign cyst patients--1.42, and lowest in endometrial cyst patients--1.08. The mechanisms underlying serum copper concentration variations in the different groups are briefly discussed with special emphasis on these in ovarian carcinoma patients.