Biomarker Modulation Study of Celecoxib for Chemoprevention in Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer: A Phase II Pilot Study.

In preclinical studies, celecoxib has been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. In this study, the aim was to assess the biomodulatory effect of celecoxib on blood and benign breast tissue biomarkers in women at increased risk for breast cancer. Women at increased risk for breast cancer [5-year Gail risk score of >1.67%, history of atypical hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ, or previous estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer] were treated with celecoxib at 400 mg orally twice daily for 6 months. Participants underwent random periareolar fine needle aspiration and blood draw at baseline and at 6 months for analysis of biomarkers: serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), and IGFBP-3; tissue expression of Ki-67 and ER; as well as cytology. Forty-nine patients were eligible for analysis. Median IGFBP-1 levels increased significantly from 6.05 ng/mL at baseline to 6.93 ng/mL at 6 months (P = 0.04), and median IGFBP-3 levels decreased significantly from 3,593 ng/mL to 3,420 ng/mL (P = 0.01). We also detected favorable changes in cytology of 52% of tested sites after 6 months of celecoxib therapy. No changes in tissue Ki-67 and ER expression levels were observed. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was recorded. Celecoxib was well tolerated and induced favorable changes in serum biomarkers as well as cytology in this pilot phase II trial. A phase IIb placebo-controlled study with celecoxib could be considered for women at increased risk for breast cancer.

Identification of serum miR-1915-3p and miR-455-3p as biomarkers for breast cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the most malignant diseases in women worldwide. Serum microRNAs (miRNAs), with the characteristics of high sensitivity and specificity, have recently attracted more attentions to serve as potential biomarkers for tumor diseases. In this study, 194 breast cancer patients' serum samples were collected before surgery and enrolled into different groups based on their diagnostic information. To search for breast cancer diagnostic biomarkers, serum miRNAs were screened by microarray in pooled samples of healthy volunteers and breast cancer patients in different clinical stages. The miRNAs were further verified in each individual patient's serum samples in diagnostic and predictive sets. The serum level of miR-1915-3p was upregulated and miR-455-3p was downregulated significantly in breast cancer patients compared with healthy volunteers. Furthermore, the patients with infiltrating carcinoma or lymph node metastasis had a higher serum level of miR-1915-3p and lower serum level of miR-455-3p than patients with the carcinoma in situ or patients without lymph node metastasis. ROC analysis suggested that miR-1915-3p and miR-455-3p had the potential as a promising serum diagnostic and predictive biomarkers of breast cancer. miR-1915-3p was over-expressed in certain human breast cancer cells. Functional experiments in vitro showed that miR-1915-3p enhanced cell proliferative and migrational abilities. Overexpression of miR-1915-3p repressed target gene DUSP3 and activated ERK1/2. Collectively, this study provided a new insight that miR-1915-3p might play a role in the development of breast cancer and that serum miR-1915-3p and miR-455-3p could serve as diagnostic and predictive biomarkers for breast cancer.

Social relationships, inflammation markers, and breast cancer incidence in the Women's Health Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: Previous research has reported associations between social relationships and carcinogenesis. Inflammation is a potential mediator of these associations. To clarify these links for one tumor site, we examined associations between social relationships, circulating inflammation markers, and breast cancer incidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 132,262 participants from the prospective Women's Health Initiative, we used linear and logistic regression to evaluate associations between social relationship characteristics (social support, social strain, social network size) and inflammation markers of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC). Cox regression was used to evaluate associations between inflammation markers and breast cancer incidence, as well as associations between social relationship characteristics and breast cancer incidence with and without adjustment for inflammation markers. RESULTS: Larger social networks were associated with lower continuous CRP (beta = -0.22, 95% CI -0.36, -0.08) and WBC (beta = -0.23, 95% CI -0.31, -0.16). Greater social strain was associated with higher continuous CRP (beta = 0.24, 95% CI 0.14, 0.33) and WBC (beta = 0.09, 95% CI 0.04, 0.14). When WBC was dichotomized at 10,000 cells/uL, high WBC was associated with greater hazards of in situ breast cancer (HR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.17, 2.33) but not invasive breast cancer. Social relationship characteristics were not associated with incidence of invasive or in situ breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Larger social networks were associated with lower inflammation and greater social strain was associated with higher inflammation. Higher inflammation might be associated with development of in situ breast cancer, but this appeared to be due to factors other than social relationships.