DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2024.v12i01.016

Pages: 91-97

Background: Breast cancer continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in identifying reliable biomarkers that can aid in the early detection, prognosis, and monitoring of breast cancer. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation, has gained attention for its potential association with various malignancies, including breast cancer. Objective: This study was designed to estimate the serum level of hs-CRP in different stages of breast cancer patients and determine its relation with the disease progression. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study included a total of 60 women ranging in age from 30 to 65, and divided into two groups. Group A includes 30 diagnosed breast cancer patients, and group B includes 30 age-matched apparently healthy women according to the selection criteria. Serum hs-CRP (mg/L) was estimated for both groups. The mean and median values of the variable were compared between the groups by unpaired students't-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. The level of significance was defined as p-value <0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Results: There was no significant difference in age and BMI between study groups. The median value of serum hs-CRP (mg/L) level was significantly (p<0.009) higher in breast cancer patients (3.57 mg/L) when compared to age-matched healthy women (1.56 mg/L). Serum hs-CRP concentrations of cases were increased significantly with the staging of breast cancer. Conclusion: This study revealed a significant relationship between hs-CRP levels with different stages of breast cancer. Estimating hs-CRP might be a useful tool for early detection, prognosis, and monitoring of breast cancer.