Correlation of Zinc Levels on C-Reactive Protein Among Advanced-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of malignancy and mortality. Zinc and C-reactive proteins are known to affect lung cancer progression. However, inconsistent findings between zinc levels on plasma CRP levels were reported. This study aimed to determine the correlation between serum zinc and CRP levels in patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Regional Hospital of Doris Sylvanus Palangkaraya between January and April 2023. Thirty-five lung cancer patients were included. The blood specimen was analyzed for serum Zinc and CRP. Spearman's correlation test was used to analyze the data. Results: The zinc level was dominantly normal or low (71.4%), with a mean of 65.57 ug/dL. Most subjects have elevated CRP, with higher CRP in the deficiency zinc group (96.64 vs. 68.89 mg/L). However, no significant correlation was found between serum zinc and CRP levels (P=0.160; r=0.173). Conclusion: Serum zinc levels were not proven statistically correlated with inflammatory markers (CRP), particularly in non-small lung cancer patients.