[Detection and clinical significance of serum proteomic patterns of breast cancers by surface enhanced laser...

To detect the serum proteomic patterns in breast cancer patients by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight (SELDI-TOF-MS) protein chip array techniques, to screen biomarker candidates and build diagnostic models in order to evaluate their clinical significance.

SELDI-TOF-MS technique and weak cation exchanger (WCX2) protein chip were used to detect the serum proteomic patterns of 38 patients with breast cancer, 33 patients with benign breast diseases and 43 normal control subjects. Biomarker Wizard 3.01 and Biomarker Pattern Software 5.01 were used in combination to analyze the data and to develop diagnostic models.

Four protein peaks pattern (M2077_07, M1827_38, M2650_51 and M2060_62 mass/charge ratio [m/z]) was observed in the model I, and it could be used to distinguish breast cancer from non cancerous diseases. Its sensitivity and specificity were 73.7% (28/38) and 73.7% (56/76), respectively. The model II was formed by 5 protein peaks (M2251_62, M3405_56, M3428_16, M4666_98, M16239_8 m/z). When it was used in differential diagnosis between stage I breast cancer and benign breast diseases, the sensitivity and specificity were 84.8% (28/33) and 55.6% (5/9), respectively. Another 5 peaks (M1701_48, M3116_17, M1676_88, M5890_33, M2921_02 m/z) could build the model III to distinguish stage I and stage II approximately IV breast cancers. Its sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% (8/9) and 86.2% (25/29), respectively.

Our findings suggested that application of SELDI-TOF-MS can be of great potential for early breast cancer screening, diagnosis and preoperative staging, and deserves further studies.