Spaniards link inflammatory symptoms to markers for predicting breast cancer

A team from the Bellwitge Institute for Biomedical Research (Idibel), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carried out the work analyzing the relationship between the levels of various cancer markers. inflammation in the blood and long-term survival. These levels were measured in more than 1,500 women before they were diagnosed with breast cancer.

The results of this prospective study were published in the journal British Journal of Cancer. In particular, the analysis included 1538 women belonging to European EPIC Cohort (European Prospective Study of Cancer and Nutrition) from eight different countries who had breast cancer throughout the follow-up 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, survival and the risk of mortality from breast cancer or other causes were analyzed depending on the levels of these molecules in the blood.

The results showed that high levels of certain cytokines, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), are associated with lower survival, with the greatest impact in women at diagnosis diagnosed were postmenopausal.

Elevated levels of cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) are associated with worse survival.

“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 an increased risk of all-cause mortality (from any cause) of 20–40%,” he comments. Carlota Castro, first author of the study and researcher at IDIBELL and ICO.

Specific mortality

“In addition, increased levels of IL-6 are also associated with increased mortality from breast cancer,” he adds.

This finding supports the hypothesis that chronic inflammation may play an important role in breast cancer progression, although the researchers emphasize the importance of conducting other studies that collect and analyze blood samples taken at different times before and after breast cancer diagnosis. .

In addition, it is important that these studies provide sufficient representation of all breast cancer subtypes in order to draw more specific conclusions regarding these biological mechanisms.

LinkStars: Carlota Castro-Espin, Antonio Agudo etc.— “The prognostic role of prediagnostic circulating inflammatory biomarkers in breast cancer survival: evidence from the EPIC cohort study.” Magazine British Journal of Cancer2024 | DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02858-6.