TITLE:
Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1) in Nigerian Women with Breast Cancer
AUTHORS:
Chukwurah Ejike Felix, Iyare Festus Ehigiator, Chukwurah Felix Chinedum
KEYWORDS:
Breast Tumour, TNF-α, IL-1, Diseases Stages
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Immunology,
Vol.8 No.2,
June
20,
2018
ABSTRACT: Background: Breast cancer remains an important medical
challenge, despite sustained global efforts at its prevention and control.
Various immunological factors are expressed in the serum during breast
tumourigenesis, and can be of value in the surveillance of the disease. These
serum bio-markers include pro-inflammatory cytokines since breast cancer is
associated with chronic inflammation. In our locality with different
racial/ethnic variations from Caucasian as well as environmental factors, there
is scanty information on the value of these serum factors in screening and
surveillance of breast cancer—hence the need
for this study. Methodology: A total of 68 females (mean age = 48.7 ± 8.7 yrs) with clinically and
pathologically confirmed breast cancer were recruited by self selection;
representing breast cancer patients group. Due to small sample size they were
further grouped into advanced stage breast cancer cases (N = 40) and early stage breast cancer cases (N = 28). Controls consisted of two groups: A—Patient
control group (N = 21) comprised females with
benign breast tumour (15 cases with fibroadenoma and 6 cases with fibrocystic
disease) and group B—apparently healthy age/sex matched control group (N = 21). Pre-treatment samples were collected after
which all patients underwent standard treatment modalities (neoadjuvant or
adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemoradiation, and/or surgery; depending
on the stage of presentation and thereafter post treatment samples were
collected after 3 and 6 months respectively. Serum from the patients and
controls were assayed immunoenzymatically for TNF-α and IL-1. Results: The
results showed that at 6 months post-treatment stage, the mean values of IL-1
differed significantly (P > 0.05) when advanced stage
breast cancer were compared with early stage
and apparently healthy control groups respectively. Likewise at 6 months
post-treatment stage, the TNF-α mean
values differed significantly (P > 0.05)
between advanced stage breast cancer and apparently healthy control. No
significant differences in mean values were recorded across disease and
treatment groups in both IL-1 and TNF-α at pre-treatment and 3 months post-treatment stages. Majority of the breast
cancer patients studied were married (91%) and had children, of low income,
never smoke cigarette, diagnosed at age above 46 years and presented at advanced stages of the
disease. Results also showed that 78% of the cases did not have any history of cancer
in their families. Also, 63% of the cases had body mass index values suggestive
of obesity (>30 kg/m2). Conclusion: Results suggest that
the use of serum levels of TNF-α and
IL-1 in the diagnosis of breast cancer in our racial/ethnic environment is of
limited clinical value. However it could be useful in disease surveillance in
metastasis and relapse. Based on our findings, it could also be concluded that
cigarette smoking and social sophistication are not among the risk factors to
cancer in this part of the world, contrary to the situation in the advanced
parts of the world.