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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Application of Biochip Microfluidic Technology to Detect Serum Allergen-specific Immunoglobulin E (sIgE)
Published on: April 21, 2019
Breast cancer risk in relation to most prevalent IgE specific antibodies: a case control study in Greece
E T Petridou1, C Chavelas, S K Dikalioti
1Unit of Preventive Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology and School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece. epetrid@med.uoa.gr
Background:
This study aims to explore the debatable role of allergy in breast cancer (BC) by using country-specific biological markers, namely levels of the most prevalent allergen-specific immunoglobulin E in Greece.
Patients And Methods:
Blood samples and clinical information were collected over a 30-month period from 103 women with histologically-confirmed BC and 103 controls from two university hospitals in Athens. Allergen-specific IgE, against the 12 prevailing allergens in Greece were determined; thereafter, a score comprising the sum of the individual values for this battery of serological IgE determinations was created. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were undertaken using case-control status as the outcome and IgE-scores as the predictor variable, controlling for socio-demographic, gynecological and lifestyle confounders.
Results:
The serum IgE score seemed to be positively related to BC (OR: approximately 1.73; CI: 0.95-3.14; p-value: 0.07). A positive correlation between serological evidence and allergic history among controls was also found (p-value: 0.06).
Conclusion:
This investigation suggests an IgE-mediated allergic response among women with BC in comparison to their controls. The finding needs confirmation by immuno-epidemiological investigation to clarify the directionality of this association and whether laboratory-ascertained atopy can be considered as a risk-marker of susceptibility in the development of BC.
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