Lipid profile in breast cancer patients from rural India

Breast cancer is the second commonest malignancy affecting half a million women worldwide each year. Dyslipidaemia can affect cell integrity in patients of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to find out status of lipid profile in patients of breast cancer in rural area. A hospital-based randomised case control study was done among 50 consented women with histologically diagnosed breast cancer and 50 control normal healthy women from same age group. Their fasting blood samples were analysed for serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The study showed significant increase in serum triglycerides (p = 0.06) in breast cancer patients as compared to controls. Significant decreased levels of total cholesterol (p = 0.043) and HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.036) were observed in breast cancer patients compared to control group. The study has been come up with altered pattern of lipid profile in breast cancer. The reason for hypocholesterolaemia may be due to its increased utilisation by neoplastic cells for new membrane biogenesis.