Levels In Breast Cancer Patients Research Articles

Evaluation of Melatonin and Antioxidant Levels in the Serum of Breast Cancer Patients

Metabolites and antioxidants can be altered in patients with various diseases, particularly in those with cancer. This study aims to measure melatonin and total antioxidant levels in the serum of breast cancer patients and compare them with a healthy control group. Both groups had serum samples collected at 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Melatonin levels were determined using High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while total antioxidant levels were assessed by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of melatonin and total antioxidants differed between the groups. In the control group, the levels of melatonin and total antioxidants were considerably greater compared to the diagnostic group, with a p-value of 0.001. Melatonin and total antioxidant levels were consistently greater at 2:00 than at 9:00. The maximum melatonin levels recorded in the diagnostic and control groups were 39.3 pg/mL and 65.9 pg/mL, respectively. Melatonin levels varied based on the age of the participants, with higher amounts observed in younger participants compared to older people in both groups. The BMI affected the levels of melatonin, with a greater BMI leading to elevated melatonin concentrations. The diagnostic group had a total antioxidant level of 39.3 pg/mL, while the control group had a level of 65.9 pg/mL. The elevated levels of melatonin and total antioxidants in the control group indicate a healthy status. The research demonstrated a significant correlation between melatonin and antioxidant levels in breast cancer patients, with reduced melatonin levels and total antioxidant levels in the diagnosed group. Elevated BMI was linked to reduced melatonin levels.

Abstract PO5-02-08: Prognostic value of serum lipid levels in breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A retrospective exploratory analysis of the prospective cohort

Abstract 【Background】 Lipid metabolism is one of the most conspicuous metabolic changes in malignant tumors. Previous studies confirmed that higher levels of “adverse lipids” might lead to poor outcomes and lipid-lowering drugs could act as a protective role in improving the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, few studies have clarified the impact of serum lipid levels and their changes on the tumor prognosis. Particularly for breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, little has been studied whether their lipid levels or changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy can serve as a valid prognostic factor. 【Methods】This study enrolled patients who received surgical treatment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in Renji Hospital from March 2016 to December 2020. Patients were included if they were female aged 18 years or older; had pathologically confirmed unilateral invasive breast cancer; had tumor of at least 2cm in size without distant metastasis (T1-4, N0-3, M0); and underwent radical surgery for breast cancer successfully after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We retrospectively gathered the baseline clinicopathological information and lipid metabolism-related biomarkers from electronic medical records. The study endpoints were disease free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), relapse free survival (RFS), distance recurrence free survival (DRFS), and local recurrence free survival (LRFS). The prognostic value of each lipid levels and their variation levels were systematically evaluated and the importance of lipid biomarkers were ranked by Random Forest. 【Results】 The baseline clinicopathological information and lipid metabolism biomarkers were available from 200 eligible patients. As of the last follow-up in March 2023, 11 patients died, 24 experienced DFS events and 20 underwent RFS events. It showed no significant correlations of lipid levels before (baseline) and after (preoperative) neoadjuvant chemotherapy with any survival outcome. However, we found that the relative increase of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) led to poorer DFS (P=0.003), RFS (P=0.01), DRFS (P=0.01), and LRFS (P=0.0039), meanwhile the relative increase of total cholesterol (TC) and non-high-density lipoprotein (NHDL) during neoadjuvant period was significantly related to the worse prognosis (TC, DFS P=0.0084; NHDL, DFS P=0.031, RFS P=0.009) as well. After adjusted by multiple factors, the adverse impacts of increasing TC (DFS P=0.005; RFS P=0.026), LDL (DFS P=0.004; RFS P=0.006) and NHDL (DFS P=0.032; RFS P=0.014) on DFS or RFS were still maintained. The results of Random Forest revealed that LDL changes and Body Mass Index (BMI) ranked higher in terms of predicting survival outcomes. Based on these data, BMI >25.4 kg/m2 or LDL elevation >0.54 mmol/L were defined as High-risk Lipid Metabolism (HLM), while BMI ≤ 25.4 kg/m2 and LDL elevation ≤ 0.54 mmol/L were regarded as Low-risk Lipid Metabolism (LLM). Compared to LLM, HLM had a worse OS (P=0.026), DFS (P=0.0011) and RFS (P=0.0011). 【Conclusion】Our study demonstrated that the relative elevation of LDL, TC and NHDL levels during neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an independent prognostic risk factor for breast cancer patients. It was also the first time to propose the concept of high-risk lipid metabolism (HLM). 【keywords】Breast cancer, Lipid metabolism, Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Body Mass Index (BMI), Prognosis. Citation Format: Xinru Chen, Wenjin Yin, Yingying Zhao, Jinsong Lu. Prognostic value of serum lipid levels in breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A retrospective exploratory analysis of the prospective cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-02-08.

Abstract PO2-25-07: PEGylated Functional Upstream Domain (PEG-FUD): an anti-cancer therapy for breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. In breast cancers, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is known to play a key role in disease progression by mediating cell signaling processes that drive cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Work by our group identified that aligned collagen fibers perpendicular to the tumor boundary are prognostic of poor patient prognosis. Further, through matrix targeted proteomics we determined that the ECM protein, Fibronectin (FN), organizes with aligned collagen fibers in BC tissues. FN is known as the master regulator of ECM assembly because FN deposition precedes and regulates the deposition of several other ECM proteins. Clinical evidence shows that high expression of FN levels in BC patients correlates with an increased mortality risk. Due to the abundant expression of FN in the tumor microenvironment, FN has been a useful biomarker for cancer imaging and therapy. Despite multiple efforts in developing therapies that target the ECM, currently there are no effective ECM treatments available due to toxicity and lack of specificity. Methods: To target abnormal FN deposition, we used a FN binding peptide, Functional Upstream Domain (FUD), derived from the F1 adhesin from Streptococcus pyogenes. PEGylated-FUD (PEG-FUD) is a potent inhibitor of FN assembly which binds the 70 kDa N-terminal region of FN with high affinity. We hypothesize that PEG-FUD will localize to the tumor site and that targeted disruption of FN assembly with PEG-FUD will reduce ECM deposition, thus block tumor progression in-vivo. In this study, we used an in vivo imaging system to assess the biodistribution of 20-kDa PEG-FUD following subcutaneous injection of Cy5 labeled peptide in 4T1 mammary tumor bearing mice. Additionally, in a second therapeutic experiment, we treated 4T1 mammary tumor bearing mice with 20-kDa PEG-FUD every 48 hr for a total of 10 treatments and measured tumor volume as an indicator of primary tumor burden. Results: As anticipated, we observed PEG-FUD’s accumulation and localization in 4T1 tumors. Additionally, PEG-FUD treatment significantly reduced tumor growth compared to saline treatment. There were no observed changes in standard toxicity assessments such as body weight and spleen weight among treatment groups. After PEG-FUD’s therapeutic treatment, we observed a significant reduction in the deposition of FN matrix and an increase in cleaved caspase-3, a known marker for apoptosis by western blotting providing a potential mechanism of action of PEG-FUD inducing changes in tumor growth. Conclusions: PEG-FUD’s localization in tumors suggests its utility as a solo cancer imaging agent while providing indications that PEG-FUD can be used to deliver other therapeutics to the tumor site as a conjugate in the future. In addition, therapeutic treatment of PEG-FUD inhibited tumor growth providing preliminary evidence for PEG-FUD’s use as a tumor targeting anti-cancer agent. Citation Format: Metti Gari. PEGylated Functional Upstream Domain (PEG-FUD): an anti-cancer therapy for breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-25-07.

Determination of CoQ10 serum levels in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy

Determination of CoQ10 serum levels in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy

The comfort level in breast cancer patients’ based on patients’ characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Comfort level in breast cancer patients is one of the most critical factors influencing patient’s treatment commitment. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected various sectors, especially health status.
 Objectives: This study aims to describe patients' comfort levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the relationship between patients’ characteristics and comfort levels.
 Methods: This study involved 108 respondents using a consecutive sampling technique at one time (cross-sectional). The research instrument was Comfort Assessment Breast Cancer Instrument (CABCI). The data were analyzed using Chi-Square.
 Results: The results showed that the comfort level in this study is categorized as comfortable. The best comfort aspect is the environmental aspect and the least is the physical aspect. In addition, there are two variables related to comfort, treatment (p = 0.007; α = 0.05) and treatment room (p = 0.000; α = 0.05). The best comfort level was found in chemotherapy treatment and outpatient rooms. Patients feel comfortable with a neat, clean, conducive hospital environment and the implementation of health protocols. These aspects could effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19.
 Conclusions: The results of this study recommend nursing services to optimize all aspects of comfort, which could still be improved. Interventions that maintain or improve comfort will optimize patients’ health conditions.

Analysis of the Role of Age Factors on Hemoglobin, Leukocyte and Platelet Levels in Breast Cancer Patients Post Chemotherapy 3 Cycles at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Chemotherapy is one of the main modalities in the treatment of breast cancer, but it can cause hematological side effects such as anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Age is one factor that is thought to influence these side effects.
 Methods: This study used an analytical observational design with data collected from medical records of breast cancer patients who had undergone 3 cycles of chemotherapy at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital Palembang. Data on hemoglobin, leukocyte, and platelet levels before and after chemotherapy were analyzed using the t-test and ANOVA.
 Results: A significant decrease in hemoglobin levels was observed in patients aged > 60 years after chemotherapy (p < 0.05). Leukocyte levels showed fluctuations, especially in patients aged <40 years, while platelet levels fluctuated more in patients aged <40 years and decreased in the age group 40-60 years after chemotherapy.
 Conclusion: Age does not significantly influence the decrease in hemoglobin, leukocyte, and platelet levels in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy.

Abstract 3409: AGEing and lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis: A balanced equilibrium for survivorship

Abstract In the US, over 18 million people are living with a cancer diagnosis and that number may double by 2050. There is a need to unite research across the cancer continuum to address the needs of cancer survivors to ensure optimal quality of life and improve mortality outcomes. Health constructs that influence cancer survivorship are multifactorial, highly dynamic, and vary across the lifespan. This makes assigning their impact on the well-being and future outcomes of cancer survivors challenging. As a pathophysiological process that lies at the intersection between societal, environmental, and biological constructs, it is proposed that the irreversible accumulation of metabolites called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) can inform on quality of life and mortality outcomes for cancer survivors. It is proposed that AGE accumulation as a result of societal, environmental, and biological constructs overwhelm the fragile equilibrium that maintains AGE homoeostasis to impact tumor biology and cancer outcomes. The relationships between health constructs and AGE exposure are epitomized by nutritional behavior. The consumption of cheaper unhealthier often ultra-processed foods are inherently AGE laden and the excessive consumption of foods high in fats and sugars that promote obesity and increase cancer risk readily provide reactive intermediates that fuel AGE formation in cells and tissues. Our collaborative epidemiological studies assign high levels of AGE consumption with increased breast cancer risk, aggressiveness, and mortality, which is supported by translational studies showing that circulating AGE levels in breast cancer patients correlate with worse disease-free survival and other poor prognosis indicators. Critically, this group has also shown that chronic AGE consumption by mice increases prostate tumor growth (p<0.001), and causes a rapid progression through prostate intra-epithelial neoplasia (p=0.049), adenocarcinoma (p=0.042) and metastasis (p=0.001). Consumption of the high AGE diet caused a regulatory program of stromal activation conducive for tumor growth. As a bio-social determinant of health AGE accumulation and its pathogenic effects serve as informative and/or functional markers indicative of the current health status and well-being of cancer survivors and may inform of potential future outcomes. Our studies show that physical activity and dietary intervention (cardiac rehabilitation) reduced systemic AGE levels in breast cancer survivors. Therefore, prevention and control interventions aimed at reducing AGE exposure represent viable strategies for improving quality of life and disease recurrence for cancer survivors. This research was made possible in part by Grant Numbers R01-CA259415, R01-CA245143, R21-CA194469, and U54-CA210962 from NIH-NCI. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. Citation Format: David P. Turner, Bradley A. Krisanits, Marvella E. Ford, Lindsay L. Peterson, Susan E. Steck, Paula D. Bos, Victoria J. Findlay. AGEing and lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis: A balanced equilibrium for survivorship [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3409.

Oxidative stress markers in breast cancer

Purpose: Oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the etiology of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to compare serum Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Oxidative Stress Index (OSI) and Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) levels in breast cancer patients and healthy women and to determine whether there is a relationship between oxidative stress markers and breast cancer.
 Materials and methods: Newly diagnosed 106 breast cancer patients at the Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital General Surgery Clinic and 30 healthy women were included in the study. Serum levels of IMA, TAS, TOS were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods. 
 Results: IMA, TOS and OSI values were found significantly higher in the breast cancer group. Although the TAS values in patients with breast cancer were lower than the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. 
 Conclusions: In our study, it was seen that oxidative stress levels increased in breast cancer patients due to decreased TAS, significantly increased IMA, TOS and OSI results. Therefore, we think that increased oxidative stress may be related to breast cancer and that IMA, TOS and OSI can be used as markers of oxidative stress to differentiate breast cancer patients from healthy women.
 Keywords: breast cancer, cancer, biomarkers, ischemia-modified albumin, oxidative stress

Cytokine Plasma Levels in Breast Cancer Patients, Before and After Surgery.

Studying the levels of cytokines in the plasma of patients could be valuable in guiding immunotherapy policies. We assessed the plasma levels of 4 major cytokines [interferon (IFN)-β, interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)] collected from 19 patients with ductal breast cancer (BCa), before surgery (BS) and 5 days after surgery (AS). The ratio AS/BS was also calculated and correlated with histopathological variables and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density. The IFN-β and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in BCa patients, BS and AS, than healthy controls (P < 0.02). High IL-2 levels BS were linked with node involvement (P = 0.02), and marginally with HER2 expression (P = 0.08), while high TNF-α levels were linked with high PgR expression (P = 0.02). Increasing IFN-β, IL-2, and TNF-α levels were noted AS, which was more evident in patients with larger tumors. The TGF-β levels were significantly lower in BCa patients (P < 0.007). Linear regression analysis showed a direct association of IFN-β levels AS (P = 0.02, r = 0.52) and of TNF-α AS/BS-ratio (P = 0.001, r = 0.72) with TIL-density. It is suggested that although effector immune response is evident in the majority of early stage BCa patients, removal of the primary tumor further unblocks such responses.

ASSESSMENT OF CIRCULATING miRNA LEVELS IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS DEPENDING ON CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CHEMOTHERAPY.

Breast cancer (BC) stands out as the most prevalent cancer in women. The levels of miRNA expression before and after chemotherapy are considered a potential indicator for the prognosis of the disease. To study blood plasma miRNA levels in BC patients and to assess their correlation with the menopausal status, disease stage, and molecular BC subtype. Blood plasma levels of 6 miRNAs (miRNA-25, miRNA-27, miRNA-155, miRNA-200, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497) were studied in 70 BC patients and 18 healthy individuals using RT-PCR. miRNA-25, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497 levels were significantly higher in BC patients, while a tendency toward a decrease in the miRNA-27 and miRNA-335 levels in premenopausal patients and high miRNA-27 levels in menopausal patients was established. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a decrease in the miRNA-25 and miRNA-335 levels was registered. The results indicated that miRNA-25, miRNA-27, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497 deserve attention as markers for assessing the efficacy of treatment of BC patients.

Magnetic resonance imaging-based radiomics was used to evaluate the level of prognosis-related immune cell infiltration in breast cancer tumor microenvironment.

The tumor immune microenvironment is a valuable source of information for predicting prognosis in breast cancer (BRCA) patients. To identify immune cells associated with BRCA patient prognosis from the Cancer Genetic Atlas (TCGA), we established an MRI-based radiomics model for evaluating the degree of immune cell infiltration in breast cancer patients. CIBERSORT was utilized to evaluate the degree of infiltration of 22 immune cell types in breast cancer patients from the TCGA database, and both univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were employed to determine the prognostic significance of immune cell infiltration levels in BRCA patients. We identified independent prognostic factors for BRCA patients. Additionally, we obtained imaging features from the Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) database for 73 patients who underwent preoperative MRI procedures, and used the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) to select the best imaging features for constructing an MRI-based radiomics model for evaluating immune cell infiltration levels in breast cancer patients. According to the results of Cox regression analysis, M2 macrophages were identified as an independent prognostic factor for BRCA patients (HR = 32.288, 95% CI: 3.100-357.478). A total of nine significant features were selected to calculate the radiomics-based score. We established an intratumoral model with AUCs (95% CI) of 0.662 (0.495-0.802) and 0.678 (0.438-0.901) in the training and testing cohorts, respectively. Additionally, a peritumoral model was created with AUCs (95% CI) of 0.826 (0.710-0.924) and 0.752 (0.525-0.957), and a combined model was established with AUCs (95% CI) of 0.843 (0.723-0.938) and 0.744 (0.491-0.965). The peritumoral model demonstrated the highest diagnostic efficacy, with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.773, 0.727, and 0.818, respectively, in its testing cohort. The MRI-based radiomics model has the potential to evaluate the degree of immune cell infiltration in breast cancer patients, offering a non-invasive imaging biomarker for assessing the tumor microenvironment in this disease.

Clinical importance of serum miRNA levels in breast cancer patients

There is limited data on the relationship of miRNAs with parameters that may affect surgical management or reflect tumour prognosis. It was aimed to evaluate serum miRNA levels in breast carcinoma cases and reveal the relationship between these levels and prognosis-related factors such as the histological type of the tumour, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Ki-67 index, HER-2neu, E-cadherin, tumour size, CK5/6, CA15.3 levels, number of tumour foci, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and status of receiving neoadjuvant therapy. Thirty-five patients with a histopathologically confirmed breast carcinoma diagnosis in the case group and 35 healthy individuals in the control group were examined. miR-206, miR-17-5p, miR-125a, miR-125b, miR-200a, Let-7a, miR-34a, miR-31, miR-21, miR-155, miR-10b, miR-373, miR-520c, miR-210, miR-145, miR-139-5p, miR-195, miR-99a, miR-497 and miR-205 expression levels in the serum of participants were determined using the Polymerase Chain Reaction method. While serum miR-125b and Let-7a expression levels were significantly higher in breast cancer patients, miR-17-5p, miR-125a, miR-200a, miR-34a, miR-21, miR-99a and miR-497 levels were significantly lower in them. The Let-7a expression level had a statistically significant relationship with breast cancer histological type and HER-2neu parameters, miR-17-5p, miR-125b, Let-7a, miR-34a, miR-21 and miR-99a levels with E-cadherin, miR-34a, miR-99a and miR-497 with CA15.3, miR-125b, miR-200a and miR-34a with the number of metastatic lymph nodes, miR-125a with the number of tumour foci and miR-200a with the status of having the neoadjuvant therapy. Serum miR-17-5p, miR-125a, miR-125b, miR-200a, Let-7a, miR-34a, miR-21, miR-99a and miR-497 expression levels were determined to have predictive and prognostic importance in breast cancer.

Comparison of effects of tamoxifen and Toremifene on hepatic function and serum lipids in breast cancer patients during adjuvant endocrine therapy.

To investigate the effects of tamoxifen (TAM) and toremifene (TOR) on hepatic function and serum lipid levels in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. The clinical data of 597 early breast cancer patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2016 and December 2022 were collected. All the patients received standard adjuvant endocrine therapy with TAM or TOR after chemotherapy. Hepatic function and serum lipid data of all patients before and at 6 months and 1, 2, and 3 years after the treatment were collected retrospectively and analyzed statistically. There: no negative effect on hepatic function was observed in patients treated with either TAM or TOR. The triglyceride levels in both groups increased during treatment, and the effect of TAM on improving total cholesterol levels was stronger. Total cholesterol levels were not affected by time or treatment regimen. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased in both groups, and the effect was similar between groups. TAM can decrease the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, whereas TOR can increase the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and there was a significant difference between groups. In the postoperative adjuvant endocrine therapy, TOR and TAM will not negatively impact the hepatic function of breast cancer patients, and TOR is better than TAM in the management of serum lipids; therefore, it may be a better choice for clinical medication.

The impact of yoga practice on cortisol levels in breast cancer patients—a comprehensive review

The impact of yoga practice on cortisol levels in breast cancer patients—a comprehensive review

A comprehensive evaluation of circ_0065214/ miR-188-3p/GPNMB axis in breast cancer

CircRNAs are involved in multiple aspects during carcinogenesis, including tumorigenesis, vascularization, apoptosis and others. Exploring the role of circRNAs in breast cancer (BC) enables us to understand the development mechanism of BC more comprehensively. Here, we screened out and verified an up-regulated circRNA in BC from GEO data. Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that circ_0065214 had a high expression level in BC patients. Besides, circ_0065214 had good diagnostic value in BC serum, and the area under the diagnostic curve, sensitivity and specificity were 0.78, 0.63 and 0.85, respectively. The combined application of circ_0065214 with CEA and CA-153 can further improve the diagnostic efficiency. The knockdown of circ_0065214 in vivo and in vitro inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC, but promoted autophagy. At last, dual-luciferase reporter assay and rescue assays revealed that circ_0065214 acted as a decoy to adsorb miR-188-3p, and then relieved the repressive effect of miR-188-3p on its target GPNMB. Our results demonstrated that circ_0065214 regulated the expression of GPNMB by competitively binding to miR-188-3p, thus promoting the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and inhibiting autophagy. These findings provided an original therapeutic strategy for BC.

Low vitamin D level increases women's breast cancer risks, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq: A case-control study.

Vitamin D (Vit D) is essential in maintaining calcium homeostasis and other body processes. It has been widely studied how Vit D affects cell cycle pathways and how it affects the development and prevention of breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to determine Vit D insufficiency linkage to the development of BC. In this case-control study, 130 women (65 BC patients and 65 healthy controls) aged 20-60 years who visited Shar Hospital Breast Center in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, from December 2021 to May 2022 were included. Patients were selected after their diagnosis had been verified by breast ultrasound, mammography, and core biopsy. The ELISA test was used to measure the concentrations of serum Vit D and expressed in ng/ml. The results showed that the BC patients had considerably lower serum Vit D levels that were <20 ng/L in 66.1% (n=43) and 43.1% (n=28) in healthy controls. Compared to the control group (20.2±8.7), the mean Vit D level in BC patients was lower (17.8±8.6). A logistic regression test revealed a substantial increase in the risk of BC for low-level Vit D concentrations below 20 ng/L (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.24-5.38; P=0.009). Vit D is still a significant risk factor for boosting the likelihood of developing BC after age and body mass index (BMI) adjustments (AOR 2.30, 95% CI 1.1-4.86; p=0.03 and AOR 3.67, 95% CI 1.55-8.7; p=0.002 for BC patients and controls, respectively). According to the outcomes of our investigations, we concluded that Vit D insufficiency raises the risk of BC among women in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq.

The effect of demographic and clinical data on anxiety and depression levels in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of sociodemographic and clinical data on depression and anxiety levels in patients who undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. A total of 111 patients with breast cancer treated in the Radiation Oncology Department of Kayseri City Education and Research Hospital were included in this study. The study was planned prospectively as a survey research based study. Ethics committee approval was obtained. After obtaining the necessary consent for voluntary participation, patients were interviewed face-to-face. The research survey included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), as well as demographic and clinical information. Statistical analysis was performed with the collected data. According to the results of repeated measures analysis of variance, the mean difference between the 3-month and 6-month measurements of the depression scale values on the first day of radiotherapy was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.001). Mean differences were statistically notable for age and marital status variables in anxiety and for age, education level, marital status, employment status, family history of cancer, menopause, surgery, chemotherapy and hormone therapy variables in depression. When the change in the presence (&gt; 10 depression scale) or absence (&lt; 10 depression scale) of depression at three different times of radiotherapy (first day, 3 and 6 months) was examined, a statistically notable difference was found between the depression scale values of patients receiving radiotherapy on the first day, 3 months after radiotherapy and 6 months after radiotherapy (P &lt; 0.05). According to the results of our study, the psychological health of women with breast cancer was affected during and after radiotherapy. As a response, psychiatric counseling should be considered as a part of the treatment for depression and anxiety that occur during and after treatment in breast cancer patients.

Effectiveness of Nigella sativa Addition against TNF-Alpha in Stage III and IV Breast Cancer Undergoing Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Chemotherapy at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia

Background: Breast cancer is a malignancy caused by the continuous uncontrolled growth of the component cells of the ducts or lobules of the breast gland. Globally, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women. Nigella sativa contains substances thymoquinone. Thymoquinone can inhibit the progression of cancer through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant mechanisms, inhibit proliferation, trigger apoptosis, and prevent angiogenesis. Chronic inflammation in breast cancer is mediated by one of them is TNF-alpha tumors. Elevated levels of TNF-α have a significant association with poor prognosis and progression of breast cancer. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the additional Nigella sativa in declining TNF-α levels in breast cancer patients at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital Palembang.&#x0D; Methods: This research used a randomized, open clinical trial design, which was carried out at the internal medicine hematology-oncology medical polyclinic and the surgical oncology polyclinic of Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital Palembang from January 2023 to October 2023. Data processing for data analysis used SPSS version 26 for Windows.&#x0D; Results: There were 36 research subjects followed during the study period and received Doxorubicin chemotherapy and cyclophosphamide (AC), which were divided into treatment groups of 18 people (chemotherapy with the addition of Nigella sativa @600 mg 2x2 capsule/ day and a control group of 18 people. A TNF-alpha examination was carried out before and after to assess the comparison before and after. From the results, it was found that TNF-alpha levels in the treatment group showed a decrease in TNF-alpha with a p-value &lt;0.001.&#x0D; Conclusion: The addition of Nigella sativa has the effect of reducing TNF-alpha in breast cancer patients receiving AC chemotherapy at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital, Palembang.

Correlation of Chemotherapy Frequency with Nutritional Status and Leukocyte Levels in Breast Cancer Patients at Abdoel Wahab Sjahranie Samarinda Regional General Hospital

This study aims to determine the relationship between chemotherapy frequency and nutritional status and leukocyte levels in breast cancer patients. This research is an analytical observational study with a cross sectional research design. This research was conducted in September 2023. The sample consisted of 33 people and was taken using accidental sampling technique. There are 2 types of research data, namely primary data (frequency of chemotherapy and nutritional status) and secondary data (leukocyte levels). Data analysis used the Pearson chi-square test (α&lt;0.050) with the Pearson product moment test. The results of the study showed that there was a relationship between the frequency of chemotherapy and the nutritional status of breast cancer patients (p=0.043) with a low correlation (r=-0.235) and there was a relationship between the frequency of chemotherapy and the leukocyte levels of breast cancer patients (p=0.009) with a medium correlation. or quite strong (r=-0.530).

Dietary supplementation of pomegranate extract alters the Caspase-3 and VEGF promoter epigenetic methylation status and protein levels in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Dietary supplementation of pomegranate extract alters the Caspase-3 and VEGF promoter epigenetic methylation status and protein levels in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy