COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UPAR AND CA 15-3 LEVELS WITH GRADING OF TUMOURS ALONG WITH CLINICAL STAGING IN FEMALE PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER- A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a major health concern worldwide as it has been reported as one of the primary reasons of mortalities in women including India. Triple test is one of the commonly accepted diagnostic procedures for identifying breast tumours. Several limitations of the test have raised the need to search for new and improved diagnostic biomarkers. Blood based biomarkers are relatively convenient, inexpensive and less invasive. The most widely used serum tumour marker for (BC) is Carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA-15.3). New serum markers to diagnose breast tumours are being studied, of which urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is one, which evoked a special interest to conduct this study. The present study was aimed to determine the levels of serum tumour markers uPAR and CA 15-3 in females with breast cancer and to compare these levels with grading and clinical staging of tumours. T Material and Methods: he present study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry of a tertiary care hospital of Northern India. A total of 200 patients of BC were enrolled as study participants for analysis of biomarkers including CA 15-3 and uPAR levels and were compared with grading and staging of BC. Levels of uPAR and CA 15-3 were found to be sig Results: nicantly increased with increased stage of breast cancer. In earlier stage uPAR and CA 15-3 levels were lower as compared to advanced stage. No statistical signicant difference was observed between grading of tumours. Markedly high levels of Conclusion: CA 15-3 and uPAR in advanced stage of BC indicates their use as potential diagnostic marker in eld of BC.