RESEARCH ON THE CORRELATION OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN WHOLE BLOOD WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA BY PIXE

The contents of multi-elements in whole blood from 115 patients with 7 different types of acute leukemia and 38 well matched healthy controls have been determined by means of proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The number of available analyzed elements was as many as 11, mainly due to the use of a 100 um thick Cr funny foi1 as an absorber. The contents of elements Cu, Ca, S, P, Si and the ratio of Cu to Zn (Cu/Zn) were higher and those of elements Zn, K, Fe, Al and Rb were lower with high significant differences (P<0. 01) in acute leukemia patients than in norma1 controls. The results indicate that the contents of Cu, Zn, and the ratio Cu/Zn are useful indices of disease activity. The elements of Al and Rb may play important roles in acute leukemia etiology,