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Breast cancer is the most common neoplasm, comprising 16% of all women's cancers
worldwide. Research of Copper (Cu) concentrations in various body specimens have suggested an
association between Cu levels and breast cancer risks. This systematic review and meta-analysis
summarize the results of published studies and examine this association. We searched the databases
PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar and the reference lists of relevant publications.
The Standardized Mean Differences (SMDs) between Cu levels in cancer cases and controls
and corresponding Confidence Intervals (CIs), as well as I2 statistics, were calculated to examine
heterogeneity.
Following the specimens used in the original studies, the Cu concentrations were examined in three
subgroups: serum or plasma, breast tissue, and scalp hair. We identified 1711 relevant studies published
from 1984 to 2017. There was no statistically significant difference between breast cancer
cases and controls for Cu levels assayed in any studied specimen; the SMD (95% CI) was -0.01
(-1.06 - 1.03; P = 0.98) for blood or serum, 0.51 (-0.70 - 1.73; P = 0.41) for breast tissue, and -0.88
(-3.42 - 1.65; P = 0.50) for hair samples. However, the heterogeneity between studies was very high
(P < 0.001) in all subgroups. We did not find evidence for publication bias (P = 0.91). The results of
this meta-analysis do not support an association between Cu levels and breast cancer. However, due
to high heterogeneity in the results of original studies, this conclusion needs to be confirmed by
well-designed prospective studies.
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