Uranium Concentrations in Tissues and Other Clinical Samples of the Serbian Population
The prevalence of numerous malignant diseases is on the rise, while the mechanism of metal-induced oncogenesis has not been elucidated so far. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of uranium (U) in blood samples of the Serbian population (n = 305) and to perform a comparative analysis with the amounts of U in the blood of patients with thyroid carcinoma (TC, n = 103) and malignant brain tumors (MBTs, n = 157). This study also aimed to extend data on the tissue sample analysis. Uranium was quantified by inductively coupled quadrupole plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-Q-MS). The content of U was approximately 15 times higher in the Serbian population compared to other population groups worldwide that did not suffer from the war, while its amount showed similarities with the countries that directly suffered from the war. Furthermore, the U content was up to twice as high in the blood samples of TC patients compared to the control, while the U content in the TC tissue samples was approximately 10 times higher than in healthy thyroid tissues and showed a tendency to be higher in follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, the highest alterations in U content were obtained in samples of MBT patients, both in liquid clinical samples (serum, lysate, and cerebrospinal fluid) and in tissue samples. The results of this study could highlight the unresolved etiology of TC and MBT. Moreover, the reported results indicated the importance of regular monitoring of U in the blood of the Serbian population.