Cells
Circulating Immune-Related Biomarkers in Egyptian Women with Early Breast Cancer: An Exploratory Case-Control Study Across IHC-Defined Clinicopathological Subgroups
By Zaki R, Nassar A, Al Najar RA and 3 others.
Abstract
Background
Breast cancer (BC) progression depends on immune dysregulation and complex interactions between tumor cells and host immune components. Soluble immune checkpoints, growth factors, chemokines, and cytokines are promising circulating biomarkers; however, their clinical relevance across IHC-defined clinicopathological subgroups in Egyptian BC patients remains poorly characterized.
Methods
Seventy Egyptian women with pathologically confirmed early-stage BC and 20 healthy controls were recruited for this case-control study. Patients were classified into IHC-defined clinicopathological groups. Eleven circulating proteins (ICOSLG, LAG-3, TIM-3, TNFRSF-14 (HVEM), FGF-21, M-CSF, CX3CR1, CCL5, CX3CL1/fractalkine, IFN-A2A, and TGF-β1) were quantified by sandwich ELISA. Associations with IHC-defined clinicopathological subgroups was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Biomarker performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and heatmaps.