Cancerous tissues analyzed by SRIXE

Synchrotron radiation induced X-ray emission (SRIXE) analysis of trace element (TE) concentrations in prostate tissues shows the significant differences between elemental concentrations in cancer and healthy parts of tissues. The analysis enables obtaining additional information about the prostate cancer, almost the most dangerous disease of the recent days. The cancer tissue sections were obtained after radical removal of the organ from the patient's body. The samples were histologically examined and classified as well as the Gleason score was determined. After histological examination, the samples were irradiated with monochromatic X-ray beam at the beam line L at HASYLAB in DESY. Our investigation proved that the elements such as Mn, Fe, Co, Ni which are involved in cancerogenesis appeared on elevated concentration levels in cancerous part of the tissues in comparison to non-cancerous parts. This study may also indicate that the advancement of prostate cancer is connected with the content of copper, zinc and iron. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.