This case-control study measured vitamin D metabolites and 14 serum elements, including gallium, in people with kidney tumors and in healthy controls. Serum gallium was slightly higher in renal cell carcinoma than in benign kidney tumors. The unit in the table footnote is µg/L.
Key numbers
- Serum gallium, mean ± SD, µg/L (Table 2): renal cell carcinoma 1.13 ± 0.16 (n = 57), benign kidney tumors 1.04 ± 0.18 (n = 43), healthy controls 1.04 ± 0.18 (n = 50). F = 4.453, P = 0.013.
- The footnote assigns µg/L to gallium, selenium, cobalt, manganese, silver, cesium, lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Calcium and magnesium are mmol/L. Copper, iron, and zinc are µmol/L.
- Gallium correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.212, P = 0.034) (Results).
- The text states that renal cell carcinoma patients had higher gallium than benign-tumor patients (P < 0.05).
Methods (brief)
Participants were seen at Mianyang Central Hospital from March 2021 to June 2022. Serum elements were measured on an Agilent 7850 ICP-MS. Germanium was the internal standard for gallium. Vitamin D metabolites were measured by UPLC-MS/MS.
Evidence fitness
Supports a small serum difference and a weak correlation with filtration rate. Does not support a causal role in kidney cancer, and does not identify an exposure source.
Limitations
Single hospital, case-control design, one blood draw. The mean difference is 0.09 µg/L between the carcinoma mean and the other two means.
Related evidence
Update history
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