Biochemical Studies on Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract

Two hundred and twenty females were included in this study. These individuals were divided into the following three major groups: 1: Control (40 healthy females). II: Non-metastatic breast cancer patients (60 cases). III: Metastatic breast cancer patients (120 cases). Group III was further divided into the following four subgroups: Ilia: Breast cancer with bone metastasis (50 cases). Illb: Breast cancer with lung metastasis (40 cases). Illc: Breast cancer with bone and soft tissues metastasis (20 cases), and Illd: Breast cancer with soft tissues metastasis (10 cases).

The aim of the present work was to investigate the role of osteocalcin (OC), parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin (CT), urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), cathepsin D (CD), epidermal growth factor (EGF), epidetmal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-erbB-2 in the diagnosis of breast cancer and its degree of metastasis.

The present study revealed that, (1) EGF, EGFR, and c­ erbB-2 showed significant slight elevation in cases of non­ metastatic breast cancer cases. (2) EGFR, c-erbB-2, uPA and CD were significantly elevated in cases of metastatic breast cancer, regardless the site of metastasis. (3) OC, PTH and CT were significantly elevated in cases of breast cancer patients with bone metastasis, whether• alone or associated with soft tissue metastasis.