Moein Zangiabadian, Azadeh Aletaha, Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi, Rasoul Ebrahimi, Shahrzad Shahrokhi Nejad, Zahra Golzari, Amir Abbas Salehi Amniyeh Khozani
Journal: PloS one 2024;19(3):e0299398
PMID: 38507438
Zinc has been identified to have a possible protective effect in prostate cancer. However, conflicting results have been seen, with high zinc consumption also being linked to advanced prostate cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the relationship between zinc levels and the development of prostate cancer. A total of 52 studies were included (44 case-control, 4 cohort, and 4 cross-sectional studies) with 163,909 participants.
The results showed that zinc levels measured in different sample types were significantly lower in men with prostate cancer compared to healthy controls. The largest difference was observed in prostatic fluid or tissue, where zinc levels were markedly lower in patients with prostate cancer. Serum (blood) zinc levels were also significantly lower in prostate cancer patients, as were hair zinc levels. However, nail zinc levels did not differ significantly between prostate cancer patients and healthy controls, and dietary zinc intake also showed no significant difference between the two groups. Serum and hair zinc findings should be interpreted with caution due to the detected publication bias.
In conclusion, lower zinc levels, particularly in prostatic tissue, may be associated with prostate cancer, pointing to a possible protective role of zinc in prostate health. Healthcare professionals may use these findings to inform discussions about zinc status and prostate cancer risk monitoring.
BACKGROUND
Prostate cancer is affecting males globally, with several complications. Zinc can play roles in cancers. We aimed to clarify the association between zinc levels or intake with prostate cancer development.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science until May 1, 2023. We included case-controls and cross-sectionals that measured zinc level and/or intake in patients with prostate cancer or cohorts that evaluated the association between zinc and prostate cancer development. Studies that did not have a healthy control group were excluded. Joanna Briggs Institute was used for quality assessment. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's tests and funnel plot.
RESULTS
Overall, 52 studies (n = 44 case controls, n = 4 cohorts, and n = 4 cross sectionals) with a total number of 163909 participants were included. Serum (standardized mean difference (SMD): -1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.67, -0.56), hair (SMD: -1.31; 95% CI: -2.19, -0.44), and prostatic fluid or tissue zinc levels (SMD: -3.70; 95% CI: -4.90, -2.49) were significantly lower in prostate cancer patients. There were no significant differences in nail zinc level and zinc intake between those with prostate cancer and healthy controls. There was no publication bias except for serum and hair zinc levels based on Begg's and Egger's tests, respectively. The mean risk of bias scores were 4.61 in case-controls, eight in cohorts, and seven in cross-sectionals.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, high zinc levels might have a protective role in prostate cancer, which can be used as a therapeutic or preventive intervention. Future large-scale studies are needed to confirm the association.
Copyright: © 2024 Shahrokhi Nejad et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
© Copyright 2026, Nutrition Evidence
NED wishes to thank the following organisations for their support:
We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic with Google Analytics. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more.