Comparative Analysis of some Biomarkers and Heavy Metals in the Serum of Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide. Biomarkers such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Cancer Antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), C-reactive protein (CRP), and ferritin have been proposed as indicators of disease progression. Furthermore, chronic exposure to heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and aluminum contributes to BC development.

Methods: A case-control study was comprised of 90 women, equally divided between BC patients and a control group of the same age. Serum levels of IL-6, CA 15-3, CRP, ferritin, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and aluminum) were measured. Statistical comparisons were made using t-tests, correlation analysis, odds ratios, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results: Breast cancer patients had significantly higher levels of IL-6 (34.87 ± 11.42 ng/ml), CA-15-3 (35.59 ± 10.79 ng/ml), CRP, and ferritin compared to the control group (p-value less than 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between IL-6 and CA 15-3 (R = 0.876) and CRP (R = 0.843). Heavy metal levels were also significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in the control group.

Conclusions: The study found an association between elevated inflammatory markers and heavy metal load in breast cancer patients. Both IL-6 and CA 15-3 demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and could be used as non-invasive biomarkers. Furthermore, elevated levels of metals like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and aluminum (Al) may indicate risk factors for breast cancer.