Skip to main content
Other
Serum Cytokine Levels in Breast Cancer Patients
Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research
  • Hannah Scott, Boise State University
  • Danielle Hedeen, Boise State University
  • Ken Tawara, Boise State University
  • Laura Bond, Boise State University
  • Paul Montgomery, (Mentor), St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute
  • Cheryl L. Jorcyk, (Mentor), Boise State University
Disciplines
Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most prominent cancer facing women today. Statistically, 1 in every 8 women in the US will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. When tumor cells metastasize to other tissues, patient prognosis becomes unfavorable. There are many several subtypes of breast cancer and the metastatic potential varies with each subtype and patient status. For example, breast cancer that is estrogen receptor positive, progesterone receptor positive, and negative for HER2, is called ER+/PR+/HER2- and is typically less aggressive than triple negative breast cancer (ER-/PR-/HER2-), which is generally more aggressive and metastasizes readily. A biomarker for aggressive breast cancer could help in early detection and identification of invasive breast cancer, leading to better patient treatment and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a correlation exists between patient serum, circulating cytokine levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and metastatic breast cancer patient status. Positive correlations would implicate inflammatory cytokines as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Citation Information
Hannah Scott, Danielle Hedeen, Ken Tawara, Laura Bond, et al.. "Serum Cytokine Levels in Breast Cancer Patients"
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/cheryl_jorcyk/37/