Inflammatory markers in breast cancer prognosis

Although the relationship between these inflammatory processes and breast cancer is still not entirely clear, we do know that inflammation can be promoted by excess weight, and physical activity has an anti-inflammatory effect. This is the state Chronic inflammation has been proposed as a factor that may influence not only the occurrence of breast cancer, but also its prognosis. as soon as the diagnosis is established.

Now the research carried out IDIBELL and ICO in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARCoffers new clues about this phenomenon. Published in British Journal of Cancerthis is a prospective study that establishes the relationship between the levels various markers of inflammation in the bloodmeasured in more than 1,500 women before they received breast cancer diagnosisAnd long term survival the patients themselves.

Study of more than 1,500 women with breast cancer

The analysis included up to 1538 women belonging to the European EPIC cohort from eight different countries and breast cancer survivors throughout the entire study period. For one, blood levels of a number of cytokines, molecules associated with inflammation, were quantified based on samples taken before cancer diagnosis.

After a median follow-up of 7 years, the risk of survival and mortality due to breast cancer or other causes was analyzed according to the levels of these molecules in the blood.

The results showed that elevated levels of certain cytokinessuch as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), associated with lower survivalwith a greater impact on women who were postmenopausal at the time of diagnosis.

Higher mortality

“There is an association between elevated levels of these biomarkers and increased overall mortality.”. Specifically, women with higher levels of IL-6, IL-10, and TNFα have a 20% to 40% increased risk of all-cause mortality,” the study comments. Dr. Carlota Castrofirst author of the study and researcher at the IDIBELL and ICO Nutrition and Cancer Group. “In addition, elevated levels of IL-6 are also associated with increased mortality from breast cancer“he adds.

This discovery confirms the hypothesis that Chronic inflammation may play an important role in breast cancer progressionalthough the researchers stress the importance of conducting other studies that collect and analyze blood samples taken at different times before and after cancer diagnosis.

Additionally, it is important that all breast cancer subtypes are sufficiently represented in these studies to allow more specific conclusions regarding these biological mechanisms to be drawn.

EPIC cohort

He European Prospective Study of Nutrition and Cancer, EPIC acronym in English is a large-scale, long-term collaborative project dedicated to research the relationship between diet, nutrition, lifestyle, environmental factors and the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases in different European countries. This study is considered one of the largest and most detailed cohort studies available. It contains data on lifestyle, diet, anthropometric measurements and blood samples 519,978 participants from 10 European countries. Analysis of EPIC data led to publication more than 3000 scientific articlesidentifying relevant links between environmental, nutritional and lifestyle factors and cancer.

In Spain, the implementation and monitoring of the EPIC cohort is coordinated by nutrition and cancer research group at IDIBELL and ICO.