Methods for regulating levels of zinc, cadmium and calcium in humans and for diagnosing, or screening for the risk of developing, diseases associated with abnormal levels of cadmium, zinc and calcium in body fluids and tissues

A method of regulating the concentration of zinc-containing and PGE2-dependent matrix metalloproteinases in the body fluids of a human which comprises administering to said human one or more pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salts in an amount sufficient to regulate the concentration of PGE2 and the concentration of zinc in the body fluids of the human.

A method of regulating the concentration of zinc in body fluids and tissues of a human which comprises administering to a human suffering from unregulated levels of zinc in his body fluids and tissues a bioavailable and physiologically acceptable cadmium salt in a dosage regimen sufficient to minimize deviations in said zinc levels outside of normal ranges.

A method of screening a person for a cadmium deficiency which comprises measuring the level of cadmium in a sample of body fluid obtained from said person and determining whether said person is cadmium deficient.

A method of regulating the influx of extracellular calcium into cells in the body of a human which comprises administering to said human a bioavailable and physiologically acceptable cadmium salt in an amount effective to regulate the amount of calcium that passes through calcium channels into cells.

A method for preventing or delaying the onset of prostate, colon or breast cancer in a human at risk of developing said cancer which comprises administering to the human a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to prevent or delay the development, growth or division of cancer cells.

A method for preventing or slowing the progress of a disease in a human, wherein said disease is associated with above-normal systemic levels of zinc and said human has above normal systemic levels of zinc, which comprises administering to said human a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to regulate the human's systemic level of zinc.

A method for preventing or delaying the onset of a disease associated with systemic deficiency in cadmium in a human at risk of developing said disease which comprises administering to the human a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to regulate the concentration of zinc in the body fluids and tissues of said human.

A method of halting or slowing the progression of a disease in a human suffering therefrom, wherein said disease is associated with above-normal systemic levels of zinc, which comprises administering to said human a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to regulate the human's systemic level of zinc.

A method for inhibiting cancerous tumor growth in a human which comprises administering to a human with a cancerous tumor a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt at dose levels effective to sufficiently lower the ratio of PGE2:PGF2α and regulate the ratio of zinc:cadmium in the human's body fluids such that the growth, division or metastasis of cancer cells is inhibited or prevented.

A method for halting or slowing the progression of a disease in a human, wherein said disease is associated with above-normal ratios of PGE2:PGF2α or zinc:cadmium in body fluids of a human suffering therefrom, which comprises administering to said human a pharmaceutically acceptable and bioavailable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to decrease the PGE2:PGF2α ratio or regulate the zinc:cadmium ratio in the human's body fluids.

A method for correcting a secondary zinc deficiency in the body of a human suffering therefrom which comprises administering to said human a bioavailable and physiologically acceptable cadmium salt in an amount sufficient to minimize or eliminate said zinc deficiency.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of one or more cadmium salts and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, said composition in oral, parenteral or inhalation dosage form.