title: Serum levels of G-CSF and IL-7 in Iranian breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer cells and tumor stroma produce different cytokines and soluble factors. Cytokines, while playing crucial roles in immune responses to tumors, also favour tumor growth and progression. IL-7 and G-CSF are two cytokines that may exert influences on the pathophysiology of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera were collected from 136 females with breast cancer before receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The control group comprised of 60 healthy age-matched females without any acute or chronic diseases with no family history of breast cancer. Serum levels of IL-7 and G-CSF were measured by commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While there was no significant difference in the level of G-CSF between patients (92.81 ± 594.54 pg/ml) and controls (0.00 pg/ml), G-CSF level in sera of patients with advanced stages of breast cancer was elevated compared to early stages (p=0.0001). Moreover, the highest level of G-CSF was seen in patients with N3 phase tumors (p=0.0001). IL-7 was slightly but not significantly higher in the control group (0.04 ± 0.11 pg/ml) in comparison with patients (0.02 ± 0.10 pg/ml). Interestingly, a significant increase in the level of IL-7 in patients with skin involvement was observed (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed an elevation of G-CSF in sera of patients with advanced stages of tumor, while IL-7 elevation correlated with skin involvement of breast cancer. IL-7 can be produced by keratinocytes in skin tissue and may be involved in the pathologic establishment of metastatic tumor cells in skin.
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Elahe
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bordbar
authors.forename: Mahyar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
authors.forename: Mehdi Taghipour Fard
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ardekani
authors.forename: Mehrnoosh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doroudchi
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaderi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015851:Interleukin-7; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor