MiR-16: A novel hereditary marker in breast cancer and their offspring

To analyse micro ribonucleic acid-16 in sera of invasive intraductal breast carcinoma in stage III and compare its expression in their daughters and healthy women.

The study took place from January 2013 till December 2015. This case-control study was conducted at the Ziauddin Cancer Hospital, Karachi, and comprised breast cancer patients and healthy individuals. Stage III invasive intraductal breast cancer patients (cases), their age-matched healthy individuals (control group A) and patients' daughters (control group B) were included. Subjects with stage I cancer and their daughters and subjects with stage IV and their daughters were also included. Serum tests were run on real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Threshold cycle was determined and fold change was calculated. Fold change was applied between the groups. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.

Of the 194 participants, there were 50(25.8%) cases, 50(25.8%) group A controls, 35(18%) group B controls, 20(10.3%) stage I patients, 11(5.7%) daughters of stage 1 patients, 20(10.3%) patients of stage IV and 8(4.1%) daughters of stage IV patients. Micro ribonucleic acid-16 was higher in cases than controls (p=0.001). Group B showed significant gene expression than group A (p=0.001). Stage IV patients and daughters showed expression of micro ribonucleic acid-16 (p=0.001). Triple negative receptor cases showed a greater expression of gene (p=0.001).

Micro ribonucleic acid-16 can be used as a prognostic, diagnostic as well as a predictive marker in breast cancer patients and their offspring.