Antibody titres to heat shock protein 27 are elevated in patients with breast cancer

Goals: The aim of this study was to compare anti-HSP27 antibody levels in patients with breast cancer and cancer-free controls to assess whether serum anti-Hsp27 antibody levels are associated with two-year disease-free survival. Methods: The study was performed by analyzing sera from 97 patients with breast cancer (74.4% with early stage tumor), and 65 healthy subjects. Anti-HSP27 antibody was measured using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover spectroscopicmethodswere used tomeasure an oxidant-antioxidant balance. Results: The results showed that anti-HSP27 antibody levels were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in patients with breast cancer than in the normal group, but no relationship was found with the two- year disease free survival, histological grade and number of lymph nodes (p > 0.6, 0.16 and 0.91 respectively). However, evaluation of the oxidant-antioxidant balance showed a significant increased level of oxidants in patients (p < 0.001) and accordingly the increased risk of relapse (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Anti-HSP27 antibody levels are enhanced in patients with breast cancer and do not appears to be linked with two-year disease free survival in node-negative or positive patients.

Breast neoplasms, anti-Hsp27 antibody, disease-free survival