Clinical Significance of Serum IL-12 Level in Patients with Early Breast Carcinoma and Its Correlation with Other Tumor Markers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the diagnostic significance of Interleukin 12 (IL-12) in breast cancer (BC) and its correlation with other tumor markers including cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), and MMP9/TIMP1 ratio.


METHODS
Serum levels of IL-12, tumor markers, and hormone receptors were measured in 92 BC and 56 benign lesion patients versus 40 healthy subjects. Clinical stage, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, grade, and histological type were recorded.


RESULTS
BC patients have lower IL-12, but higher CA 15.3 and CEA than control group. High levels of serum IL-12 were associated with lymph node positivity and progesterone receptor negativity. IL-12 was significant lower in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) compared to non IDC histological type. IL-12 was higher in patients with higher stage and grade but the difference was not statistically significant. IL-12 correlates negatively with MMP9/TIMP1 ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-12 is less specific than CEA for screening early BC, but its correlation with tumor aggressiveness and progression markers may have a prognostic value.
National Research Center, Microbial Biotechnology Department, Cairo, Egypt.
Samar Samir
SS
Youssef
National Research Center, Medical Physiology Department, Medical Research Division, Cairo 11331, Egypt.
Manal Moussa
MM
Mohammad
Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
Lobna R
LR
Ezz-El-Arab
Breast cancer; IL-12; hormone receptor; prognosis; tumor markers