Publication Details
Abstract
Introduction. Breast cancer (BC) is a disease of breast cells that can grow out of control and result in tumors. BC holds the distinction of being the most significant and commonly diagnosed cancer among women globally. Midkine (MDK) is a simple heparin-binding low molecular weight growth factor and is highly induced during oncogenesis, inflammation, and tissue repair. This study aimed to measure MDK levels in women with BC and whether they can be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing between malignant and benign breast tumors. Methods. The study included 90 participants, 60 of them patients (female) with BC, divided into two groups first group included 30 patients with malignant breast tumors (G1), while the second group included 30 patients with benign breast tumors (G2), and also the control group included 30 healthy individuals (G3). A blood sample was obtained from the patient before surgery, and the practical part of this study was carried out over a period of eleven months at Oncology Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Baghdad. Group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, and diagnostic performance was assessed via ROC curve analysis. Results. The findings of the study revealed that there was an increase in MDK levels in two groups of women with BC compared with the control group, with a significant difference between G1 and G2 P-value (0.01), G2 and G3 P-value (0.01), whereas a highly significant difference between G1 and G3 P-value (0.001). The AUC for all group comparisons (malignant vs. benign, malignant vs. control, and benign vs. control) was 1.00 (p<0.001), indicating perfect discrimination for MDK as a diagnostic biomarker. Conclusions. The levels of MDK were abnormally elevated in women with breast tumors when compared to the control group. Moreover, MDK levels in malignant conditions are markedly higher than in benign conditions. Therefore, MDK could be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing between malignant and benign breast tumors. Furthermore, future studies are required for larger cohorts.