Evaluation of serum lipid profile in breast cancer patients: a case control study

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between serum lipid profile and breast cancer disease.Patients and methods: One hundred breast cancer women and 75 women with benign breast mass as a control group were included in the study. The control and the patient groups were aged matched. The age range of the control group was between 25 to 70 years (mean ± SD: 50.4 ± 15.1 years). The age range of the patient group was between 25 to 71 yeas (mean ± SD: 49.1 ± 14.6 years). The patients were undergone radical modified mastectomy, then treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy after the operation. Five mL of blood samples from the patient and control groups were taken, and the patient samples were taken before the operation. The blood samples were analyzed for serum lipid profile. The patients and the control groups were advised to fast for 14 hours before taking the blood samples. Body mass index was measured for the patients and controls. The stage, lymph involvement, and metastasis of the cancer were also included.Results: Body mass index (BMI) in patients was significantly higher than controls. However, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherogenic index (AI), in the patients were significantly lower than controls. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HLD-C) was higher in the patients compared with the controls but not significant.Conclusion: a significant decrease in TC, TGs, and LDL-C with no significant increase for HDL-C was noticed in breast cancer women. Serum lipid profile may not be considered as a risk factor for breast cancer.