The Potentiality of Prostate-Specific Antigen as a Prognostic Biomarker in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a well-established marker that can be measured as an indicator for screening, diagnosing, and managing prostate cancer due to its advanced tissue specificity. Numerous studies have revealed that free PSA is the predominant molecular form of PSA in breast cancer cases. In contrast, total PSA is prevalent in benign breast tumor cases and healthy females. This case-control study aims to measure PSA levels among individuals with breast cancer in order to establish PSA as a prognostic biomarker. Methods The study involved 150 female subjects between the ages of 18 and 70 and was conducted between 2013 and 2014. The subjects were then categorized into three groups: those with malignant breast cancer, those with benign breast tumors, and the control group with no history of malignant or benign breast tumors. Participants were asked to complete a lifestyle questionnaire and interview using hospital medical records to establish past and pertinent patient medical history. These cases were acquired from the 7th of October Hospital's surgery department and Benghazi Central Hospital's oncology clinic in Libya. Sandwich-type ELISA’s were used for PSA quantitation, while the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test was used to identify statistically significant differences between total PSA and free PSA measurements within each patient group. Results This study did not reveal significant statistical differences in total PSA levels between breast cancer cases and control groups (p=0.200), or between breast cancer and fibroadenoma patients (p=0.472). However, there was a significant difference in F-PSA levels between breast cancer and fibroadenoma cases (p=0.0001). Neither total-PSA (p=0.200) nor F-PSA (p=0.262) levels showed significant differences between breast cancer cases and controls. This study paved the way for further investigations into PSA's role in breast cancer. Despite its limitations, it offers an opportunity to delve deeper into understanding PSA's potential role and use in breast cancer. Conclusion A comprehensive statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between F-PSA levels and breast cancer diagnosis. The findings suggest that PSA may serve as a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer. This may contribute to improved customized treatment approaches, offering precise and accurate risk assessments, understanding breast cancer biology, and improving health outcomes for patients with breast cancer.