Serum fetuin-A and RANKL levels in patients with early stage breast cancer

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the primary cause of mortality due to cancer in females around the world. Fetuin-A is known to increase metastases over signals and peroxisomes related with growing. Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) takes part in cell adhesion, and RANKL inhibition is used in the management of cancer. We aimed to examine the relationship between serum fetuin-A, RANKL levels, other laboratory parameters and clinical findings in women diagnosed with early stage BC, in our population. Methods: Women having early stage BC (n=117) met our study inclusion criteria as they had no any anti-cancer therapy before. Thirty-seven healthy women controls were also confirmed with breast examination and ultrasonography and/or mammography according to their ages. Serum samples were stored at -80 °C and analysed via ELISA. Results: Median age of the patients was 53 (range: 57-86) while it was 47 (range: 23-74) in the healthy group. Patients had lower high-density lipoprotein levels (p=0.002) and higher neutrophil counts (p=0.014). Fetuin-A and RANKL levels did not differ between the groups (p=0.116 and p=0.439, respectively) but RANKL leves were found to be lower in the favorable histological subtypes (p=0.04). Conclusions: In this study, we found no correlation between serum fetuin-A levels and clinical findings in patients diagnosed with early stage BC. However, RANKL levels are found to be lower in subgroups with favorable histopathologic subtypes such as tubular, papillary and mucinous BC and there was statistically significant difference

Ozone therapy as a novel complementary therapeutic approach in refractory idiopathic granulomatous mastitis

Background: Autoimmunity may play a major role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM). The therapeutic potential of ozone therapy has recently been shown in rheumatological diseases, and this study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of ozone therapy (OT) in refractory IGM. Methods: Patients with biopsy-verified IGM and incomplete response after steroid therapy (n = 47) between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled. Of these, 23 cases in cohort A had standard treatment with further steroid therapy (ST), and 24 were treated with systemic OT via autohemotherapy (AHT) in addition to steroid therapy (cohort B). Results: The median age was 33 years (range, 24–45). Patients in cohort B had a higher complete response rate after completion of a four-month ozone therapy than those in the ST-group (OT-group, 37.5% vs. ST-group, 0%; p = 0.002). At a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 12–35), the patients treated with OT had a lower one-year recurrence in the affected breast than cases in cohort A treated with ST (OT-group, 21% vs. ST-group, 70%; p = 0.001). No significant side effects were observed in patients in cohort B related to AHT. Furthermore, OT significantly decreased the total steroid treatment duration (median week of steroid use; 26 weeks in cohort A vs. 12 weeks in cohort B; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Systemic OT increases the complete response rate and decreases the duration of steroid treatment in patients with refractory IGM. Therefore, ozone therapy is an effective, well-tolerated, and safe novel complementary therapeutic modality.Istanbul Breast Societ

Investigation of SRP9 protein expression in breast cancer

Background Signal recognition particle (SRP) promotes co-translational translocation of the proteins through or into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and it also has elongation arrest function. SRP9 is one of the six protein subunits of SRP and functions in elongation arrest activity by forming a heterodimeric structure with SRP14. It is one of the substrates of ADAR, which has been found to have a role in breast cancer. This study was conducted to investigate the SRP9 protein expression in normal and tumor tissues of patients with breast cancer and determine its prognostic significance. Methods and results A total of 32 female patients who were diagnosed as having primary breast cancer and underwent surgery were included in the study. Western Blotting was performed to detect SRP9 protein expression levels in normal and tumor tissue samples. Clinical and pathologic characteristics were analyzed to assess the prognostic significance. SRP9 protein expression was statistically higher in the breast cancer tissue samples compared to normal matched tissue, and the mean SRP9 protein expression levels of breast cancer tissue normal tissue samples were 1.019 +/- 1.011 and 0.551 +/- 0.456, respectively (p = 0.001). SRP9 protein expression levels in tumor tissue of patients with lymph node metastasis, tumor size > 2 cm, estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-positive, and HER-2 negative were statistically higher than in normal tissue (p < 0.05). Conclusions It is vital to clarify the roles of molecules such as SRP9 in understanding the pathogenesis of breast cancer. In our study, we showed that SRP9 expression increased in breast cancer and was associated with disease-related parameters

Association of TMPRSS6 polymorphisms with hematologic parameters, histopathological data and breast cancer risk in Turkish population

Mutations in TMPRSS6 gene encoding matriptase-2 result in Iron refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA). Polymorphisms in the TMPRSS6 gene have been found to be more common in comparison with mutations in this gene. These polymorphisms were reported to lead to changes in hematologic parameters. Matriptase-2 (TMPRSS6) was found to be a risk factor leading to breast cancer. Two different TMPRSS6 polymorphisms (rs2111833, and rs228919) were analyzed in 281 people (181 patients with breast cancer and 100 healthy controls). The relationship between different genotypes, risk of developing breast cancer, hematologic values, and histopathological data was analyzed. TMPRSS6 gene polymorphisms were not found to be associated with breast cancer risk. Histological grade and TMPRSS6 rs2111833 gene polymorphism had a statistically significant relationship. Further studies with a larger cohort of patients are needed in order to identify potential haplotypes and polymorphisms responsible for the clinical and pathological parameters of breast cancer patients; which could aid in understanding the pathogenesis and clinic parameters of breast cancer

Association of XRCC3, XRCC4, BAX, and BCL-2 Polymorphisms with the Risk of Breast Cancer

Background. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Genetic risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence have been identified. Aims. This study is aimed at determining the association of XRCC3 Thr241Met (rs861539), XRCC4 G(-1394) T (rs6869366) DNA repair and BAX G(-248) A (rs4645878), and BCL2 C(-938) A (rs2279115) apoptotic gene polymorphisms with breast cancer. Materials and Methods. Genetic analysis was performed using peripheral blood samples. Gene polymorphisms were detected by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. 175 patients and 158 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Results. Breast cancer risk was 5.43 times more in individuals with AA genotype of Bax G(-248) A (rs4645878) (P=0.002). The risk of metastasis was 11 times with this genotype. It was associated with 6 times more risk of having a tumor larger than 2 cm. The risk of breast cancer was 2.77 times more in individuals carrying the Met/Met genotype of XRCC3 Thr241Met (rs861539) (P=0.009). The risk of having advanced clinical stage (stage III+IV) with the Met/Met genotype was 4 times more increased. No relationship with breast cancer was found with XRCC4 G(-1394) T (rs6869366) and BCL2 C(-938) A (rs2279115) gene polymorphisms. Conclusion. Multicenter trials using subjects with genetic variations are needed to establish the relationship between breast cancer and single gene polymorphism

An investigation of the relationship between matriptase-2 protein expression and histopathological data in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females. Therefore, early recognition of the disease is essential. Matriptase-2, a member of the Type II Transmembrane Serine Proteases (TTSP) family, plays a role in various types of cancer (breast, prostate, etc.). The matriptase-2 level is thought to be related to patients' prognosis. This study used the tumor and the normal breast tissue samples from 21 female patients with breast cancer. The levels of matriptase-2 protein expression in the tumor and the normal tissues of the breast cancer patients and examined the relation with histopathological findings were analyzed. The matriptase-2 protein expression levels was determined using the Western Blot method. The matriptase-2 protein expression levels in the tumor tissues were significantly lower than in the normal tissues (p = 0,012). The matriptase-2 protein expression levels in the normal tissues of patients with nuclear grades I/II, histological grades I/II, clinical stages III/IV, presence of lymph nodes, and microcalcification were statistically significantly higher than the matriptase-2 protein expression levels tumor tissues (p = 0,0001 for all). The results of our study are in line with findings in the literature showing that the increase in matriptase-2 level is associated with a good prognosis. Decrease in the level of the matriptase-2 protein in the tumor tissues and the relationship of this decrease with poor prognosis suggests that matriptase-2 may play a role in limiting the development of breast tumors by the mobile and invasive nature of breast cancer cells. The matriptase-2 level may have a prognostic value in breast cancer patients