Zeitschrift für molekulare Biomarker und Diagnose

The Utility of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines-TNF Alpha and CRP as Indicators of Response to Chemotherapy in Patients with Breast Carcinoma

Abstract

Anisha Sharma, Binita Goswami, Nikhil Gupta and Baidarbhi Chakraborty

Objective: Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring female cancer in the world the incidence of which is more than double that of the second ranked cancer (cervical cancer). Not many studies have assessed the relationship between biomarkers of inflammation and long-term survival in breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating markers of inflammation (CRP and TNF-α), measured before and after chemotherapy, predict response to therapy.

Material: A total of 30 histological confirmed cases of breast cancer were enrolled for study. Total duration of study was two years. HsCRP was determined by solid phase direct sandwich ELISA method (Diaclore, France). Similarly TNF-α was also determined by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent method. Three-dimensional tumor size was determined radiologically through mammography. CT scan and MRI scan were taken at the time of diagnosis to detect metastasis.

Result: The mean values of hsCRP and TNF-α in patients of breast tumor decreased after three cycles of chemotherapy and this decrease was highly significant in patients with partial/complete response to chemotherapy. Similarly, levels of hsCRP and TNF-α were high in patients with estrogen receptor positive status than in estrogen receptor negative status. No significant correlation was observed between levels of hsCRP and TNF-α with progesterone receptor status and Her 2 neu status.

Conclusion: This study shows serum hsCRP and TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in confirmed cases of breast cancer and levels decreased after chemotherapy in patients showing response to it. So hsCRP and TNF-α can be used as a surrogate.