Prognostic Value of Circulating Cytokines in Breast Cancer
Authors:   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Jihene Ayari , Sarra Karrit ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Shourouk Haj Ammar ,   Immunology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Mehdi Bouhlel ,   Department of Pharmacy of Monastir, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Mehdi Balti ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Aref Zribi ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Sana Fendri ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Sonia Ben Nasr ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Oussama Belamine ,   Immunology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Mouna Ben Azaiz ,   Immunology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Ezzedine Ghazouani ,   Immunology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Lotfi Massoudi ,   Gynaecology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, Faida Agili ,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia,   Research department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia, Sharif Kullab ,   Oncology Department, King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Abderrazek Haddaoui ,   Oncology department, Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia,   Medicine of Tunis (FMT), University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
Published: February 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure circulating cytokines (IL17, IL6, IL22, IL23 and TNFα) and to evaluate their role as markers and in prognosis in Tunisian patients with breast cancer. Materials and methods: Our prospective study enrolled 60 untreated patients affected by breast cancer. We evaluated their levels of TNF-α and IL6 within solid-phase, two-site chemoluminescent enzyme immunemetric assay. Seric levels of IL17, IL22 and IL23 were measured by ELISA sandwich technique and results compared by chi-2 square. Results: Our population, all females, have a mean age of 48 years, a localized disease in 75% of cases and metastatic in the resting 25%. The mean cytokines levels for IL6, IL17, TNFα, IL22 and IL23 were respectively 4.8 ± 7.2 pg/ml, 0.27 ± 0.69 pg/ml, 5.9 ± 2.2 pg/ml, 50.8 ± 34.7 pg/ml and 18 ± 30.9 pg/ml. Serum IL6 levels were significantly higher with advanced stages and particularly, metastatic stage IV and in relapsing patients. We observed also higher TNFα levels in advanced stages (III and IV) and IL22 in cases with grade III SBR. For IL23, higher levels were observed in axillary node positive cases and in patients younger than 35 years. IL17 was significantly higher with patients who relapsed. Conclusion: Our results highlight the role of cytokines in the serum as potential prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer patients, which could contribute to tumor growth and progression. Analyzing serum cytokine levels may help to identify patients with poor prognosis who may benefit from more aggressive treatment.