Abstract P2-08-63: The relationship between serum level of copper and ceruloplasmin and pathologic and clinical characteristics in early breast cancer patients
Authors: Fan J , Wan Y , Zhao G , Wang T 
Published: May 2019

Purpose: The increase of serum copper and ceruloplasmin has been reported to positively related with the progress of advanced breast cancers. However, the role of them in early breast cancer(EBC) is unknown.

Methods: 209 female patients that been diagnosed as EBC within Xijing Hospital from Oct 2016 to Apr 2017 were included. The level of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were assayed using atomic absorption spectroscopy and immunoturbidimetry assay, respectively. The pathologic and clinical characteristics were analyzed by X test, t test and Pearson correlation analysis. p&lt;0.05 is significant.

Results: Table 1 show the primary characteristic of patients. After transforming copper and ceruloplasmin into binary variable (elevated and normal), age was both significant (p&lt;0.01). The different expression level of ER, PR, Ki67 and molecular type, number and percent of metastatic lymph nodes were significant (p&lt;0.01). After correlation analysis, negative relationship existed between age and copper or ceruloplasmin (coefficient = 0.265 or 0.233, p&lt;0.01). And copper was positively related to the level of Ki67(coefficient = 0.169, p=0.018). While ceruloplasmin was negatively related to PR (coefficient = -0.273,p&lt;0.01) and molecular type (coefficient = -0.217, p=0.05).

Conclusions: This is the first study that revealed the abnormal escalation of serum copper and ceruloplasmin in Chinese EBC patients. The levels of both them were significantly higher in patients of young age, high Ki67 index and Luminal type. It is inferred that they might play an important role in early procedure of breast cancer, and it need more data in the future to validate.

Table 1The primary characteristic of patientsCharacteristicResults(N=209)Median age, year(range)51.3(29-83)AJCC stage, N190*Stage 179Stage 281Stage 330Histological grade, N160*G119G2101G340Histopathologic characteristic, N206*DCIS13IDC-NOS151ILC7IDC-NOS + DCIS14Specific IDC21Primary tumor characteristic, N188*Median tumor size, cm(range)1.7(0.5-6.7)Median positive number of lymph nodes, N(range)2(1-23)Median percent of positive lymph nodes, %(range)13.3 (3.4-100)Molecular type, N(%)176*Luminal A (ER+/PR+/HER2-/Ki67&lt;15%)29(16.5)Luminal B1 (ER+/PR+/HER2-/Ki67≥15%)85(48.3)Luminal B2 (ER+ and/or PR+/HER2+)19(10.8)HER2 (HER2+)12(6.8)Triple Negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-)31(17.6)Copper (Reference Value)11.8-21.28umol/LMedian of Copper (Range)17.7(12-32.9)Elevated cases, N (%)30(14.4)Normal cases, N (%)179(85.7)Ceruloplasmin (Reference Value)23-43mg/dLMedian of Ceruloplasmin (range)43.2(23.4-82.5)Elevated cases, N (%)88(42.3%)Normal cases, N (%)120(57.7)DCIS ductal carcinoma in situ;IDC-NOS invasive ductal carcinoma non special; ILC invasive lobular carcinoma; ER estrogen receptor; PR progesterone receptor; HER2 human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 * Excluding missing data

Citation Format: Fan J, Wan Y, Zhao G, Wang T. The relationship between serum level of copper and ceruloplasmin and pathologic and clinical characteristics in early breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-63.