Tumor markers in the early detection of tumor recurrence in breast cancer patients: CA 125, CYFRA 21-1, HER2 shed antigen, LDH and CRP in combination with CEA and CA 15-3

A Silicon-Based ROTE Sensor for High-Q and Label-Free Carcinoembryonic Antigen Detection

This paper presents a biosensor based on the resonant optical tunneling effect (ROTE) for detecting a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). In this design, sensing is accomplished through the interaction of the evanescent wave with the CEA immobilized on the sensor's surface. When CEA binds to the anti-CEA, it alters the effective refractive index (RI) on the sensor's surface, leading to shifts in wavelength. This shift can be identified through the cascade coupling of the FP cavity and ROTE cavity in the same mode. Experimental results further show that the shift in resonance wavelength increases with the concentration of CEA. The biosensor responded linearly to CEA concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 ng/mL with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 ng/mL and a total Q factor of 9500. This research introduces a new avenue for identifying biomolecules and cancer biomarkers, which are crucial for early cancer detection.

The Influence of Tumor-Specific Markers in Breast Cancer on Other Blood Parameters

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women, responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There is limited data available related to serum tumor markers in breast cancer and other blood parameters or other glandular laboratory parameters. This study aims to evaluate the correlation of tumor-specific markers for breast cancer with other blood parameters and how these correlations could impact clinical management.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This retrospective study represents a data analysis from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2023, in the County Hospital of Timisoara, Romania. We reviewed all the cases where, in the laboratory analyses, the serum tumor specific biomarkers for breast cancer were analyzed.

RESULTS

A statistical analysis was performed in order to identify a possible relationship between CA 15-3 and the various biomarkers and blood parameters included in the present study. Values were classified according to reference ranges. The tests revealed no statistically significant associations between CA 15-3 values and the levels of CA125 (χ2(1) = 1.852, p = 0.174), CEA (χ2(1) = 1.139, p = 0.286), AFP (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.341), fT4 (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.310), TSH (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.177), or PTH (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.650).

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate a lack of strong correlation between CA 15-3 and CA125, CEA, AFP, thyroid function markers, or PTH within this cohort.

Potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer: A compiled review

Breast cancer is one of the major reason for death of women worldwide. As per the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) statistics, the number of cases of breast cancer is increasing year by year in many parts of the world. As per the recent global cancer burden figures, in 2020, there were 2.26 million incidences of breast cancer cases and it is one of the main causes of mortality due to cancer in women in the world. Biomarkers of breast cancer would prove to be very beneficial to screen women who are at higher risk and for detection of disease recurrence. Here, studies carried out on biomarkers of breast cancer and susceptibility to the disease have been reviewed. Various databases like Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and PubMed have been used for searching and majorly literature from the last 10 years have been considered. Potential biomarkers of breast cancer including blood based angiogenic factors, glycoprotein-based biomarkers, hormone receptor biomarkers and other biomarkers that were identified from various studies have been summarized.

Comparative evaluation of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes promoters’ methylation changes in tumor and tumor margin tissues of patients with lung cancer

Background

Lung cancer remains one of the most lethal carcinomas worldwide because of its late diagnosis. One of the DNA modifications is methylation, one of the primary alterations of tumor development, consisting of fascinating indicators for cancer diagnosis. This study investigated ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 gene methylation in NSCLC as a new epigenetic tool.

Methods

First, to find out the potential diagnostic capability of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes methylation, we entirely surfed DNA methylation microarrays from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of NSCLC samples. Additionally, we took advantage of using q-MSP in several pieces comprising NSCLC tumors and neighboring normal tissues; ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 genes methylation grades were acquired.

Results

Our finding displayed significant hypomethylation of ZMYND-8 and hypermethylation of RARβ2 in NSCLC samples compared to neighboring standard specimens, which significantly correlated with the clinical stage of malignancy. In addition, the incredible precision of ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 methylations as reliable cancer diagnosis indicators in NSCLC was confirmed, drawing the ROC curve analysis with an AUC value of 0.751 and 0.8676, respectively, for ZMYND-8 and RARβ2. Additional studies of other dominant cancer entities in TCGA displayed that RARβ2’s higher methylation degree and ZMYND-8 lower methylation degree are prevalent changes in tumor evolution which could be possibly considered as a potential diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer.

Conclusion

Based on this study, ZMYND-8 and RARβ2 methylation are reliable biomarkers for lung cancer.

CA 15-3, CRP, and LDH correlates with prognostic parameters in canine mammary neoplasms

The identification of putative prognostic factors in canine mammary neoplasms (CMNs) has been focused on tissue-specific biomarkers, but the serum biomarkers, including cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), c-reactive protein (CRP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) have been demonstrated to display clinical application in cases of CMNs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of these serum biomarkers and their association with well-established prognostic factors in CMNs. Samples from 15 female canines with CMNs and 15 clinically healthy ones were collected. The results were evaluated using the Tukey's, Pearson, or Spearman tests. The cut-off point, sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve (AUC) were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in a logistic regression model (P<0.05). The levels of CA 15-3, CRP and LDH were significantly higher in the serum of female dogs with CMNs compared to the healthy ones. Moreover, these factors were positively correlated with ulceration, tumor size, histopathological grade, metastatic lymph node, and clinical staging. Female dogs with CMNs were found to exhibit highest serum levels of CA 15-3, CRP, and LDH. Therefore, they can be applied to improve the efficacy of the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation in casas of CMNs.

The Novel Diagnostic Techniques and Biomarkers of Canine Mammary Tumors

Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) are considered a serious clinical problem in older bitches. Due to the high malignancy rate and poor prognosis, an early diagnosis is essential. This article is a summary of novel diagnostic techniques as well as the main biomarkers of CMTs. So far, CMTs are detected only when changes in mammary glands are clinically visible and surgical removal of the mass is the only recommended treatment. Proper diagnostics of CMT is especially important as they represent a very diverse group of tumors and therefore different treatment approaches may be required. Recently, new diagnostic options appeared, like a new cytological grading system of CMTs or B-mode ultrasound, the Doppler technique, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and real-time elastography, which may be useful in pre-surgical evaluation. However, in order to detect malignancies before macroscopic changes are visible, evaluation of serum and tissue biomarkers should be considered. Among them, we distinguish markers of the cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, metastatic potential and prognosis, hormone receptors, inflammatory and more recent: metabolomic, gene expression, miRNA, and transcriptome sequencing markers. The use of a couple of the above-mentioned markers together seems to be the most useful for the early diagnosis of neoplastic diseases as well as to evaluate response to treatment, presence of tumor progression, or further prognosis. Molecular aspects of tumors seem to be crucial for proper understanding of tumorigenesis and the application of individual treatment options.

Multiple Metastases of the Liver and Lung After Breast-Conserving Surgery for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Without Microinvasion of the Breast: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive disease that rarely causes distant metastasis. It is extremely rare for patients diagnosed with DCIS without microinvasion to develop distant metastasis in the absence of ipsilateral or contralateral breast recurrence. This is the first case report of multiple liver and lung metastases from DCIS after breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy.

Case Presentation

A 45-year-old woman who was diagnosed with DCIS and received breast-conserving surgery, radiotherapy, and sequential endocrine therapy developed multiple metastases in the liver and lung despite not having bilateral breast recurrence at the 62-month follow-up. Comprehensive advanced breast cancer therapy was administered but did not prevent the progression of metastatic foci in the liver.

Conclusions

This case shows the poor potential outcome in DCIS. Further research should be conducted on metastasis in DCIS; reexamination and monitoring are indispensable for patients diagnosed with DCIS.

Prognostic Value of Combined Lactate Dehydrogenase, C-Reactive Protein, Cancer Antigen 153 and Cancer Antigen 125 in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Background

Breast cancer (BC), especially metastatic BC, is one of the most lethal diseases in women. CA 125 and CA 15-3 are commonly used indicators for diagnosis and prognosis of BC. Some serological indicators, such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP), can also be used to assess the prognosis and progression in BC.

Methods

Univariate Cox regression analysis and LASSO regression analysis were performed to identify prognostic factors and build prognostic models. We distributed the patients into 2 groups based on the median risk score, analyzed prognosis by Kaplan–Meier curve, and screened independent prognostic factors by multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Result

We identified 4 indicators-LDH, CRP, CA 15-3, and CA 125—related to the prognosis in BC and established a prognostic model. The high LDH group showed worse overall survival (OS) than low LDH group (P = .017; hazard ratio (HR), 1.528; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.055-2.215). The high CRP group showed worse OS than low CRP group (P = .004; HR, 1.666; 95% CI, 1.143-2.429). The high CA153 group showed worse OS than low CA 15-3 group (P=.011; HR, 1.563; 95% CI, 1.075-2.274). The high CA 125 group showed worse OS than low CA 125 group (P = .021; HR, 1.499; 95% CI, 1.031-2.181). The area under the curve for risk score was .824, Ki-67 was .628, age was .511, and grade was .545. Risk score was found to be an independent prognostic factor using multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Conclusion

We successfully established an optimization model by combining 4 prognosis-related indicators to assess the prognosis in patients with metastatic BC.

Advanced applications of cerium oxide based nanozymes in cancer

Cerium oxide nanozymes have emerged as a new type of bio-antioxidants in recent years. CeO2 nanozymes possess enzyme mimetic activities with outstanding free radical scavenging activity, facile synthesis conditions, and excellent biocompatibility. Based on these extraordinary properties, use of CeO2 nanozymes has been demonstrated to be a highly versatile therapeutic method for many diseases, such as for inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and Alzheimer's disease. In addition to that, CeO2 nanozymes have been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Many examples can be found in the literature, such as magnetic resonance detection, tumour marker detection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photothermal therapy (PTT). This review systematically summarises the latest applications of CeO2-based nanozymes in cancer research and treatment. We believe that this paper will help develop value-added CeO2 nanozymes, offering great potential in the biotechnology industry and with great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of malignancies.

Development of a Novel Prognostic Signature Based on Antigen Processing and Presentation in Patients with Breast Cancer

Background: Complex antigen processing and presentation processes are involved in the development and progression of breast cancer (BC). A single biomarker is unlikely to adequately reflect the complex interplay between immune cells and cancer; however, there have been few attempts to find a robust antigen processing and presentation-related signature to predict the survival outcome of BC patients with respect to tumor immunology. Therefore, we aimed to develop an accurate gene signature based on immune-related genes for prognosis prediction of BC. Methods: Information on BC patients was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to confirm the gene set related to antigen processing and presentation that contributed to BC. Cox proportional regression, multivariate Cox regression, and stratified analysis were used to identify the prognostic power of the gene signature. Differentially expressed mRNAs between high- and low-risk groups were determined by KEGG analysis. Results: A three-gene signature comprising HSPA5 (heat shock protein family A member 5), PSME2 (proteasome activator subunit 2), and HLA-F (major histocompatibility complex, class I, F) was significantly associated with OS. HSPA5 and PSME2 were protective (hazard ratio (HR) < 1), and HLA-F was risky (HR > 1). Risk score, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and PD-L1 were independent prognostic indicators. KIT and ACACB may have important roles in the mechanism by which the gene signature regulates prognosis of BC. Conclusion: The proposed three-gene signature is a promising biomarker for estimating survival outcomes in BC patients.

Type IV collagen as a potential biomarker of metastatic breast cancer

No reliable, non-invasive biomarker of metastatic breast cancer (mBC) exists: circulating CA15-3 (cCA15-3) is the marker mostly used to monitor mBC. Circulating collagen IV (cCOLIV) has been evaluated in other metastatic cancers and has been found to be a promising biomarker. The overarching aim of this study was to evaluate cCOLIV as a potential biomarker in patients with mBC. The first aim was to determine the levels of cCOL IV and cCA15-3 in patients with healthy controls, primary breast cancer (pBC) and mBC. The second aim was to compare levels of cCOLIV and cCA15-3 in patients with different metastatic sites of BC. The third aim was to investigate the prognostic value of cCOLIV and cCA15-3 for mBC patients. The fourth aim was to analyse whether a combination of the two biomarkers was more accurate in detecting mBC than a single marker. Lastly, we investigated the tissue expression levels of COLIV in BC bone metastases (BM) and liver metastases (LM). Plasma levels of cCOLIV and cCA15-3 from healthy controls and patients with pBC and mBC were measured. COLIV expression in tissue from patients with LM and BM was analysed using immunohistochemistry. Clinical and survival data were collected from medical charts. The levels of cCOLIV and cCA15-3 were significantly elevated in mBC patients compared with healthy controls and pBC patients. No differences in cCOLIV and cCA15-3 levels were found based on the metastatic site. High levels of cCOLIV, but not cCA15-3, correlated with poorer survival. cCOLIV alone and the combination of cCA15-3 and cCOLIV were superior to cCA15-3 at detecting mBC. COL IV was highly expressed in the tissue of LM and BM. Our study suggests that cCOLIV is a potential marker to monitor patients with BC.

CEA, CA 15-3, and miRNA expression as potential biomarkers in canine mammary tumors

The most often detected tumor in intact bitches is mammary tumors and represents a significant clinical problem throughout the world. Mammary neoplasms in canine have heterogeneous morphology, so the choice of the most appropriate biomarker is the biggest challenge in CMT detection. We performed a retrospective analysis and evaluated the canine cancer antigens and miRNA expression profiles as potential biomarkers. Sixty dogs based on histological examination divided into three groups, viz., dogs with a benign mammary tumor, malignant mammary tumor, and control/healthy. The CA 15-3 was found more sensitive than CEA but detection of both will increase sensitivity. miR-21 expression differed significantly in all three groups. miR-29b expression differed significantly between the control and benign group and control and malignant group. The miR-21 overexpression and miR-29b downregulation with CMT are associated with clinical stage and can be used as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Hence, evaluation of CA 15-3 along with CEA would be a non-invasive technique for detecting canine mammary tumors. Evaluation of deregulated circulating miR-21 could be a valuable prognostic marker for early detection of mammary tumors in canines while miR-29b can add sensitivity in the detection of the canine mammary tumors if evaluated with miR-21.

Association of circulating Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component-1 (PGRMC1) with breast tumor characteristics and comparison with known tumor markers

OBJECTIVES

Progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) expressed in breast cancer tissue has been suggested to predict a worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess for the first time if blood concentrations of PGRMC1 are also associated with receptor status, tumor diameter, grading, and lymphatic status. The second aim was comparison with known tumor markers.

METHODS

A total of 372 women, including 278 patients with invasive breast cancer, 65 with benign breast disease, and 29 healthy women (control), were recruited. PGRMC1 blood concentrations were measured by a recently developed enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, and were correlated to predictive tumor characteristics and compared with serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA125, and CA153.

RESULTS

PGRMC1 levels in the cancer group were significantly higher than in the control and benign group and increased with higher cancer stages (P < 0.05). PGRMC1 concentrations in the estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)+ group were higher than in the ER-/PR- group, related to larger tumor diameter and the presence of lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to control the confounding factors. Tumor diameter, lymphatic metastasis, and ER (but not PR) were positively associated with PGRMC1 (P < 0.05). The receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to assess area under the curve (AUC). AUC was 87.9% for stages III+IV and 80.8% for stages I+II (P < 0.01). ROC did not find significant effects on AUC for CA125, only significant for CEA and CA153 for stages III+IV.

CONCLUSION

As PGRMC1 levels are positively associated with breast tumor characteristics known to predict a worse diagnosis, PGRMC1 may be valuable as a new tumor marker, and superior to CEA, C125, and CA153. Because of the positive association with ER-expression, PGRMC1 may interact with this receptor.

Upregulated N6-Methyladenosine RNA in Peripheral Blood: Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Breast Cancer

Purpose

An effective biomarker for the diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) and benign breast diseases (BBD) is crucial for improving the prognosis. We investigated whether N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) can be a diagnostic biomarker of BC.

Materials and Methods

We detected the contents of peripheral blood m⁶A in 62 patients with BC, 41 patients with BBD, and 41 normal controls (NCs) using the colorimetric method. The relative expression of the m⁶A regulated genes methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) was analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

m⁶A in peripheral blood RNA was significantly higher in patients with BC than that in patients with BBD (p < 0.001) or the NCs (p < 0.001). m⁶A was closely associated with the disease stage (from stage 0 to stage I-IV, p=0.003). The receiver operating characteristic curve of m⁶A contained an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.887 in BC, which was greater than that of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153). The combination of m⁶A, CEA, and CA153 improved the AUC to 0.914. The upregulated and downregulated mRNA expression of METTL14 and FTO, respectively, might contribute to the increase of m⁶A in patients with BC. m⁶A combined with METTL14 and FTO improved the AUC to 0.929 with a specificity of 97.4% in the peripheral blood of patients with BC.

Conclusion

The peripheral blood RNA of m⁶A might be a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of BC.

Aptamer-based biosensor for detecting carcinoembryonic antigen

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), as one of the common tumor markers, is a human glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion and is expressed during human fetal development. Since the birth of human, CEA expression is largely inhibited, with only low levels in the plasma of healthy adults. Generally, CEA will overexpressed in many cancers, including gastric, breast, ovarian, lung, and pancreatic cancers, especially colorectal cancer. As one of the important tumor markers, the detection of CEA has great significance in differential diagnosis, condition monitoring and therapeutic evaluation of diseases. Conventional CEA testing typically uses immunoassay methods. However, immunoassay methods require complex and expensive instruments and professional personnel to operate. Moreover, radioactive element may cause certain damage to the human body, which limits their wide application. In the past few years, biosensors, especially aptamer-based biosensors, have attracted extensive attention due to their high sensitivity, good selectivity, high accuracy, fast response and low cost. This review briefly classifies and describes the advance in optical and electrochemical aptamer biosensors for CEA detection, also explains and compares their advantages and disadvantages.

Tumor marker index based on preoperative SCC and CYFRA 21-1 is a significant prognostic factor for patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of a novel tumor marker index (TMI) based on preoperative serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) for patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

A total of 315 ESCC patients who had underwent curative surgery between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively included in this study. The TMI was defined as the geometric mean of normalized SCC and CYFRA21-1 levels. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to confirm the clinical and prognostic significance of preoperative SCC and CYFRA 21-1 levels and TMI.

RESULTS

Elevated preoperative SCC was associated with histological grade, pT status, lymph node status and TNM stage. Elevated preoperative CYFRA 21-1 was correlated with tumor size, lymph node status and TNM stage. The overall survival of patients with elevated SCC and CYFRA 21-1 levels was significantly poorer than that of patients with normal levels. Multivariate survival analysis identified that preoperative SCC (P= 0.353) and CYFRA 21-1 (P= 0.139) were not independent prognostic factors. The cut-off value of TMI based on SCC and CYFRA 21-1 was 0.531, and the patients were subdivided into high and low TMI groups. The 5-year survival rate of patients with high TMI was 30.9%, which was significantly lower than that of patients with low TMI (50.4%, P< 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified the TMI (HR 1.371; 95% CI 1.024-1.836; P= 0.034) as an independent prognostic factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated preoperative SCC and CYFRA 21-1 levels were associated with aggressive cancer behavior in ESCC. The TMI based on preoperative SCC and CYFRA 21-1 might serve as a novel marker that can be used to predict the prognosis of ESCC patients.

Overexpression of TBX3 transcription factor as a potential diagnostic marker for breast cancer

The T-box 3 (TBX3) transcription factor has been shown to serve multiple roles in normal development. Recent findings have revealed that TBX3 is overexpressed in different types of carcinomas, including breast, cervical, ovarian, melanoma, pancreatic, lung, liver, bladder, head and neck. Therefore, the present study investigated the significance of TBX3 as a diagnostic marker of breast cancer. To achieve this aim, breast cancer samples and their adjacent normal tissues were collected from 51 breast cancer patients from the European Gaza hospital during 2015-2016. Sections from each sample were immune-stained by anti-TBX3 and suitable secondary and tertiary antibodies. TBX3 levels were evaluated in cancerous and normal samples. Clinicopathological data for each patient were documented. The correlation between TBX3 levels and the clinicopathological parameters were statistically tested. The results revealed that TBX3 is significantly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues when compared with normal tissues. Furthermore, TBX3 was mainly a cytoplasmic protein in normal and breast cancer tissues. Notably, TBX3 levels exhibited a sensitivity of 78.4%, specificity of 79.6%, accuracy of 79% and area under the curve of 0.791 (0.700-0.882) at a cut-off value=9 as breast cancer marker. However, no significant associations were observed between TBX3 levels and other breast cancer markers including oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, cancer antigen 15-3 and breast cancer stages. Altogether, these results suggested that TBX3 overexpression may be a potential biomarker for breast cancer.

An individual reference limit of the serum CEA-TPA-CA 15-3 tumor marker panel in the surveillance of asymptomatic women following surgery for primary breast cancer

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined measurement of serum CEA, TPA, and CA 15-3, using an individual reference limit (IRL), for predicting distant metastases in asymptomatic women following a diagnosis of primary breast cancer.

Methods

A total of 231 patients were followed up for a mean of 5.5±1.6 years. An IRL for defining critical changes (CCs) in marker levels was used as a warning signal of pending distant metastases.

Results

Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the combined CEA-TPA-CA 15-3 marker panel for predicting patient outcome were 95.2%, 97.8%, and 97.9%, respectively. In all, 19 (8.3%) patients relapsed with a mean lead time to radiological evidence of metastases of 11.7±13.8 months.

Conclusion

We concluded that the combined measurement of CA 15-3, CEA, and TPA using an IRL for determining the CC in markers levels is an accurate strategy for predicting outcome during postoperative monitoring of asymptomatic breast cancer patients. Whether the early prediction of metastasis and subsequent administration of therapy impacts on patient outcome should now be the objective of a prospective clinical trial. The marker panel described here could serve as the basis for such a trial.

Current biomarkers of canine mammary tumors

Mammary tumors are the second most common neoplasia in dogs. Due to the high similarity of canine mammary tumors (CMT) to human breast cancers (HBC), human biomarkers of HBC are also detectable in cases of CMT. The evaluation of biomarkers enables clinical diagnoses, treatment options and prognosis for bitches suffering from this disease. The aim of this article is to give a short summary of the biomarkers of CMT based on current literature. Very promising biomarkers are miRNAs, cancer stem cells, and circulating tumor cells, as well as mutations of the breast cancer 1 gene (BRCA1) and breast cancer 2 gene (BRCA2). Until now, the most studied and reliable biomarkers of CMT have remained antigen Ki-67 (Ki-67), endothelial growth factor receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-2), which can be detected in both serum and tissue samples using different molecular methods. However, carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), while poorly studied, seem to be good biomarkers, especially for the early detection and prognosis of CMT. We will also mention the following: proliferative cell nuclear antigen, tumor protein p53 (p53), E-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor, microRNAs, cancer stem cells and circulating tumor cells, which can also be useful biomarkers. Although many studies have been conducted so far, the estimation of biomarkers in cases of CMT is still not a common practice, and more detailed research should be done.

Anti-breast-Cancer Activity Exerted by β-Sitosterol-d-glucoside from Sweet Potato via Upregulation of MicroRNA-10a and via the PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway

Breast cancer (BC) is a prominent source of cancer mortality in women throughout the world. β-Sitosterol-d-glucoside (β-SDG), a newly isolated phytosterol from sweet potato, possibly displays potent anticancer activity. However, the probable anticancer mechanisms involved are still unclear. This study sought to study how β-SDG from sweet potato affects two BC cell lines (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) and nude mice bearing MCF7-induced tumors. In addition, we assessed how β-SDG affects tumor suppressor miR-10a and PI3K-Akt signaling in BC cells. Cell viability and proliferation were determined via MTT and colony-formation assays, and apoptosis was quantified by Hoechst staining and flow cytometry. In addition, miR-10a expression and apoptosis-related protein levels were measured. Our study indicated that β-SDG exhibited cytotoxic activities on MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells via inducing apoptosis and activating caspase proteases in these cells. Furthermore, the experimental results in nude mice bearing MCF7-induced tumors demonstrated that oral β-SDG administration at medium (60 mg/kg) or high (120 mg/kg) doses was sufficient to substantially impair the growth of tumors and to decrease the levels of CEA, CA125, and CA153 by 64.71, 74.64, and 85.32%, respectively, relative to those of the controls ( P < 0.01). β-SDG was further found to regulate the expression of PI3K, p-Akt, Bcl-2-family members, and other factors involved in the PI3K-Akt-mediated mitochondrial signaling pathway via the tumor suppressor miR-10a. These findings indicated that β-SDG suppresses tumor growth by upregulating miR-10a expression and inactivating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, β-SDG could be developed as a potential therapeutic agent against MCF7-cell-related BC.

Metformin: oxidative and proliferative parameters in-vitro and in-vivo models of murine melanoma

Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most lethal cancers because of its increased rate of metastasis and resistance to available therapeutic options. Early studies indicate that metformin has beneficial effects on some types of cancer, including melanoma. To clarify knowledge of the mechanism of action of metformin on this disease, two treatment-based approaches are presented using metformin on melanoma progression: an in-vitro and an in-vivo model. The in-vitro assay was performed for two experimental treatment periods (24 and 48 h) at different metformin concentrations. The results showed that metformin decreased cell viability, reduced proliferation, and apoptosis was a major event 48 h after treating B16F10 cells. Oxidative stress was characterized by the decrease in total thiol antioxidants immediately following 24 h of metformin treatment and showed an increase in lipid peroxidation. The in-vivo model was performed by injecting B16F10 cells into the subcutaneous of C57/BL6 mice. Treatment with metformin began on day 3 and on day 14, the mice were killed. Treatment of mice with metformin reduced tumor growth by 54% of its original volume compared with nontreatment. The decrease in systemic vascular endothelial growth factor, restoration of antioxidants glutathione and catalase, and normal levels of lipid peroxidation indicate an improved outcome for melanoma following metformin treatment, meeting a need for new strategies in the treatment of melanoma.

Blood-based biomarkers in breast cancer: From proteins to circulating tumor cells to circulating tumor DNA

Biomarkers are the key to personalized treatment in patients with breast cancer. While tissue biomarkers are most useful in determining prognosis and upfront predicting response to therapy, circulating protein biomarkers such as CA 15-3 and carcinoembryonic antigen are mainly used in monitoring response to endocrine or chemotherapy in patients with advanced disease. Although several centers measure biomarkers in asymptomatic patients following curative surgery for primary breast cancer, the clinical utility of this practice is unclear. Promising new biomarkers for breast cancer include circulating tumor DNA and circulating tumor cells. In contrast to circulating protein biomarkers, measurement of circulating tumor DNA–based biomarkers is potentially useful in identifying mechanisms of resistance to ongoing therapies as well as identifying new targets for further treatment. To increase clinical utility, both the established and emerging circulating biomarkers should where possible be incorporated into randomized trials evaluating new therapies in patients with breast cancer.

Postoperative recurrence analysis of breast cancer patients based on clinical serum markers using discriminant methods

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a common gynecological malignant tumor and currently its clinical diagnosis mainly depends on methods of iconography and measurement of serum level.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze correlation between serum index levels and prognosis of patients with breast cancer in one week and six months after operation, and to establish support vector machine (SVM) model to evaluate its effectiveness.

METHODS

One hundred sixty eight patients diagnosed with breast cancer at Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were collected, 46 of which did palindromia while other 122 didn't six months after operation. Serum CA153, CA125 and CEA levels of different periods in two groups were analyzed from their differences. Through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, their diagnostic threshold values were calculated, at the same time, SVM model was built.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between serum index levels of recurrence group and non-recurrence group in one week and six months after operation (P< 0.05); SVM model was established with an accuracy of 96.67% (29/30), a sensitivity of 90% (9/10) and a specificity of 100% (20/20).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum CAl53, CEA and CA125 levels after operation have certain instructional significance for prognosis of breast cancer patients, and the established SVM model has high clinical application value.

Plasma TuM2-PK correlates with tumor size, CRP and CA 15-3 in metastatic breast carcinomas; short versus long term follow up study of the Egyptian breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The key regulator of tumor metabolome is the glycolytic isoenzyme M2-PK which favors the generation of nucleic acid via glutaminolysis as hypoxic adaptive mechanism in the tumor cells.

AIM

The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of M2-PK, CRP, and CA 15-3 in preoperative and metastatic breast carcinomas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 70 females; 15 controls, 33 preoperative primary breast carcinomas clinically metastasis free, and 22 clinically diagnosed metastatic breast carcinomas. M2-PK and CA 15-3 were detected by ELISA. CRP was quantified using the CRP LATEX kit.

RESULTS

TuM2-PK significantly increased in metastatic and preoperative groups when compared to controls (p= 0.049, p= 0.001); respectively. Both CRP and CA 15-3 were significantly increased in metastatic than the preoperative group (p= 0.002). CA 15-3 was significantly increased in both groups when compared to controls (p= 0.016; p< 0.001; respectively). TuM2-PK level significantly related to tumor size in metastatic group (p= 0.006) and with menstruation status (p= 0.039), and liver metastasis (p= 0.036) in preoperative group. TuM2-PK significantly correlated with CRP (r= 0.793, p= 0.004), and CA 15-3 (r= 0.568, p= 0.006) in the metastatic group.Metastatic group with TuM2-PK ⩽ 15 U/ml had significantly higher survival rate than those with > 15 U/ml (χ2= 13.841, p< 0.001) within 3.3-4.2 but not after 10-20 years follow up period. Metastasis to bone and lymph nodes significantly increased in the metastatic than the preoperative group (p= 0.002, p= 0.013; respectively). Within 3.3-4.2 years, CA15.3 has the highest prognostic performance in metastatic group while both TuM2-PK and CRP have same specificity. On the other hand, TuM2-PK has the highest prognostic performance in preoperative group. After 20 years follow up period, there was neither significant difference in the performance of the three markers in predicting mortality in metastatic and preoperative groups nor in predicting metastasis in preoperative group.

CONCLUSION

Current results document for the first time, a cross-talk between TuM2-PK and each of CRP and CA 15-3 in metastatic breast cancer.

Plasma N-acetylputrescine, cadaverine and 1,3-diaminopropane: potential biomarkers of lung cancer used to evaluate the efficacy of anticancer drugs

Polyamines have been widely investigated as potential biomarkers for various types of cancers, including lung cancer, which is one of the most common causes of death from cancer worldwide. This study was carried out to evaluate the value of polyamines that serve as early diagnostic and cancer progression markers as well as drug evaluation for lung cancer (squamous cell carcinoma of lung, SCCL). SCCL was induced in Wistar rats by intratracheal instillation of 3-methylcholanthrene and treated with three different anti-cancer drugs, Aidi injections, fluorouracil, and a combination of them. After carcinogenesis for 28, 70 and 98 days and therapy for 28 and 56 days, the polyamine levels in plasma of SCCL, healthy and treated rats were determined using a UHPLC-MS/MS assay base on the means of targeted metabolomics. Results showed that increased N-acetylputrescine, cadaverine and 1,3-diaminopropane levels were associated with progression of SCCL. The levels of cadaverine and 1,3-diaminopropane returned to normal after administration of the three different kinds of anticancer drug. In addition, the suitability of using N-acetylputrescine, cadaverine and 1,3-diaminopropane as biomarkers was confirmed by PLS-DA and ROC analysis. It can provide an innovative and effective way for the clinical diagnosis, prevention and treatment of lung cancer, and stimulate a theoretical basis for the design and development of new anticancer drugs. At the same time, this increased the clinical options for polyamines as cancer biomarkers.