Abstract 882: Serum Hsp27 levels may serve as a prognostic biomarker in patients with localized breast cancer: A preliminary report

Abstract

Abstract Although there exist some prognostic biomarkers (eg, CA 15-3) for evaluation of responses to therapy in metastatic breast cancer patients, there is no reliable biomarker for early stage breast cancer patients. Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) has been reported as elevated in many human cancers of carcinoma origin. We have simultaneously tested serum levels of Hsp27 and CA 15-3 by specific ELISA in 49 untreated breast cancer patients (age→52.77±1.28) with early to locally advanced disease [Stage I (n=21), IIA and B (n=21), IIIA, B and C (n=7)] and 37 female controls (age→50.86±1.60). Hsp27 levels were significantly (p<0.0001) increased in these patients (894.76±116.45 pg/ml) as compared to controls (301.34±44.73 pg/ml). In contrast, CA 15-3 levels, the most characterized and frequently used prognostic biomarker for evaluation of metastatic breast cancer patients’ clinical responses to therapy, showed no increase in these patients (16.36±1.07 U/ml) as compared to controls (16.67±1.27 U/ml). Serum Hsp27 levels were modestly but not significantly elevated in stage III patients (1091.1±486.6 pg/ml) as compared to stage I (887.7±125.6 pg/ml) or II (836.3±188.8 pg/ml) patients. Similarly, serum Hsp27 levels were modestly (not significant) elevated in high grade patients (973.2±180.9 pg/ml; n=22) as compared to low (836.1±212.9 pg/ml; n= 15) or intermediate (824.1±230.1 pg/ml; n=12) grade patients. Although the serum Hsp27 levels were not significantly higher in Stage III or high grade patients as compared to early stage or lower grade patients respectively, post - surgery follow-up serum Hsp27 data are highly encouraging. We have followed 22 patients upto 12 months post - surgery (sample collection at pre-surgery, 6 and 12 months post-surgery). These patients’ pre-surgery Hsp27 levels (995.50±189.74 pg/ml) were significantly (p<0.0002) elevated as compared to healthy controls, but were reduced to almost control levels as tested at 6 (484.32±73.85 pg/ml) and 12 (490.49±119.70 pg/ml) months post-surgery. Thus, our data strongly suggest the possibility of using serum Hsp27 levels as a prognostic biomarker to evaluate clinical responses to therapy in early stage to locally advanced breast cancer patients. Work supported by ACS RSG-06-266-01-LIB awarded to A. De Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 882.