High Prevelance of Chronic Magnesium Deficiency in T Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Chronic Zinc Deficiency in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Malignant Lymphoma

Abstract

Magnesium and zine are the elements having essential roles in regulation of cell growth, division and differentiation. There have been some studies in the literature suggesting an association between the deliciency of these elements and the development of malignant disorders. In this study hair and serum Zine and magnesium levels were investigited in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and malignant lymphoma (ML) at the time of initial diagnosis. Ten children with T-cell ALL. 10 children with B-precursor ALL. 5 children with Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL). II children with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). 10 children with non-Burkitt non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NBNHL) and 12 age and sex matched healthy children as a control group were included in the study. Mean hair magnesium levels in all of the groups of the patients were lower than the levels in the control group but the difference was statistically significant only in the children with T cell ALL comparable to the controls (28.9±3.9μg/g and 87.6±18.5μg/g respetiveley, p<0.05). Mean serum magnesium levels in all the cohorts were not significantly different than those in controls (p>0.05 in each comparison). Mean hair zine levels in the patients with T-cell. B-precursor ALL, BL, HL, NBNHL were 103.4±14.6μg/g. 100.9±7.8μg/g. 91.1±19μg/g, 72.5±9.1μg/g. 103.2±12.2μg/g respectively. Each of these levels were significantly lower than the mean hair Zine levels of the control group (141.2±9.6μg/g. p<0.05 in each comparison). Although mean serum zine levels in all of the groups were also decreased, the differences were statistically significant only in the groups with B-precursor ALL. HL and NBNHL (75.9±5.29μg/dl. 68.6±7.3mUg/dl. 85.7±5.5μg/dl respectively) when compared with controls (105.1±9.9μg/dl, p<0.05 in each comparison). Hair magnesium and zine levels showed a positive correlation with each other in all the groups (r≅0.5). No significant difference was found in the mean hair/serum magnesium and Zine levels between malnourished and nonmalnourished patients.

In conclusion, regarding the results of our study and previous daia in the literature chronic magnesium and zine deficiency seems to be associated with the development of ALL and malignant lymphoma in a group of patients.

Key Words:

• Mg²⁺/Zn²⁺ Levels in lymphoma & ALL

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Guurses Slahin

Joyce Laing works in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry, Playfield House, Cupar, Fife, and is a Consultant Art Therapist to Psychiatric Hospitals and Prisons and Chairwoman of the Scottish Society of Art and Psychology.