Plasma zinc and jejunal mucosal zinc in gastric carcinoma.

The plasma zinc in both gastric carcinoma and in other malignancy requiring surgical treatment was significantly higher than in patients with non-malignant disease but there was no difference between the gastric carcinoma and other malignancy levels. The jejunal mucosal zinc levels showed similar results with both gastric carcinoma and other malignancy requiring surgery being higher than non malignant disease but no difference between them. It was not possible to correlate plasma and jejunal mucosal zinc levels overall. This increased level of body zinc does not appear to be specific to gastric carcinoma and may be associated with non specific mucin changes.