Serum protein changes in breast cancer: a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biochemistry
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Early detection and monitoring of breast cancer are crucial for effective treatment.
• Biomarkers for assessing breast cancer progression are actively sought.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in preoperative and postoperative serum protein levels between women with breast cancer and benign breast disease.
• To explore correlations between serum protein levels and breast cancer progression.

Main Methods:

• A sequential one-year follow-up study of 60 women undergoing breast lump biopsy.
• Measurement of 10 serum proteins preoperatively and postoperatively at three months and one year.
• Comparison of protein levels between early operable breast cancer (n=30) and benign breast disease (n=30) groups.

Main Results:

• Patients with breast cancer showed significantly higher preoperative beta2 glycoprotein levels compared to benign cases.
• Caeruloplasmin levels were significantly higher at one year postoperatively in breast cancer patients.
• Significant correlations were observed between several serum proteins (caeruloplasmin, prealbumin, haemopexin, alpha1 antitrypsin, beta2 glycoprotein) and breast cancer progression.

Conclusions:

• Specific serum proteins like beta2 glycoprotein and caeruloplasmin may serve as potential indicators in breast cancer.
• Serum protein level changes show correlations with disease progression, suggesting their utility in monitoring.
• Further long-term follow-up is needed to determine the predictive value of these serum protein changes for metastasis development.