Soluble Fas/FasL serum levels as possible diagnostic biomarkers of cancer breast

ABSTRACT

This work aimed to investigate the biochemical changes of serum sFas/sFasL system and its usefulness as an apoptogenic marker in patients with cancer breast, as a trial to approach serum biomarker which may be of value in early diagnosis and screening of patients with cancer breast. Fourty patients non pregnant, non lactating females were categorized into 20 patients with breast cancer [BC], subclassified according to the clinical and mammographic staging and TNM classification into BC1 [13 patients] with T1NOMO lesion, and BC2 [7 patients] with T2NOMO lesion. Twenty patients with benign breast lesions subclassified into [12 patients] with fibroadenoma [FA1] and [8 patients] with fibroadenosis [FA2]. Another, 20 healthy females with matched age, served as control. This study revealed a significant increase in the preoperative serum sFas/CD95 and sFasL in BC1 and BC2 compared to both control and benign breast lesions. While the postoperative serum sFas and sFasL in BC1, and BC2 were significantly decreased than the preoperative levels but still significantly higher than the control level. Furthermore, this study showed in BC group the preoperative serum sFas and sFasL were significantly positively correlated with the nodal involvement. Also, serum sFasL. in BC group showed significant positive correlation with the lesion diameter. But, serum sFas showed non significant correlation with lesion diameter. As regard benign breast lesions, there was non significant increase in both serum sFas and sFasL compared to control group. We could conclude that the biochemical changes in serum sFas and sFasL may be considered useful tool as an apoptogenic marker in breast cancer