Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women worldwide. Semaphorin4C (SEMA4C) has previously been identified as a highly expressed protein by breast cancer-associated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). The objective of this study is to investigate SEMA4C's potential role as an early relapse biomarker in breast cancer.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women worldwide, with approximately 1.68 million new cases, and 0.52 million deaths, annually. Meanwhile the incidence of breast cancer continues to increase. Although regular clinical examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging can detect some recurrence patients, the lack of robust biomarkers for monitoring of anti-tumor therapies and detection of recurrence reduce the treatment effectiveness of current strategies for breast cancer. Semaphorin4C (SEMA4C) has been previously identified as a highly expressed protein by breast cancer-associated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) using in situ laser capture microdissection of lymphatic vessels, followed by cDNA microarray analysis. Moreover, membrane-bound SEMA4C is cleaved by matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) to release a soluble form of this protein. The study is undertaken to explore SEMA4C's potential role as an early relapse biomarker in breast cancer.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
4,200
Serum samples will be collected every 3 months for the first year after surgery and then every 6 months to first progression defined as death or recurrence of the breast cancer or until 5 years since last patient in, whichever occurs first. Imaging examination and biopsy or surgery if necessary are recommended for patients with elevated SEMA4C. Serum SEMA4C levels will be tested in single center in order to decrease bias and be measured using a double antibody sandwich ELISA method using in-house SEMA4C detection kits.
Serum samples will be collected every 3 months for the first year after surgery and then every 6 months to first progression defined as death or recurrence of the breast cancer or until 5 years since last patient in, whichever occurs first. Imaging examination and biopsy or surgery if necessary are recommended for patients with elevated SEMA4C. Serum SEMA4C levels will be tested in single center in order to decrease bias and be measured using a double antibody sandwich ELISA method using in-house SEMA4C detection kits.
diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value) of SEMA4C in predicting recurrence of breast cancer
Analyze the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy of SEMA4C in predicting recurrence of breast cancer
Time frame: 5 years
Disease Free Survival
Disease Free Survival (DFS) can be determined according to clinical practice based on any of the following: applicable imaging technique, biopsy and surgery.
Time frame: 5 years
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