BackgroundIrisin is a recently discovered myokine, involved in the browning of white adipose tissue. To date, its function has been mainly associated with energy homeostasis and metabolism, and it has been proposed as a promising therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic diseases. This is the first study investigating the role of irisin in human breast cancer.MethodsParticipants included one hundred and one (101) female patients with invasive ductal breast cancer and fifty one (51) healthy women. Serum levels of irisin, leptin, adiponectin and resistin were quantified in duplicates by ELISA. Serum levels of CEA, CA 15–3 and Her-2/neu were measured on an immunology analyzer. The association between irisin and breast cancer was examined by logistic regression analysis. The feasibility of serum irisin in discriminating breast cancer patients was assessed by ROC curve analysis. Potential correlations with demographic, anthropometric and clinical parameters, with markers of adiposity and with breast tumor characteristics were also investigated.ResultsSerum levels of irisin were significantly lower in breast cancer patients compared to controls (2.47 ± 0.57 and 3.24 ± 0.66 μg/ml, respectively, p < 0.001). A significant independent association between irisin and breast cancer was observed by univariate and multivariate analysis (p < 0.001). It was estimated that a 1 unit increase in irisin levels leads to a reduction in the probability of breast cancer by almost 90 %. Irisin could effectively discriminate breast cancer patients at a cut-off point of 3.21 μg/ml, with 62.7 % sensitivity and 91.1 % specificity. A positive association with tumor stage and marginal associations with tumor size and lymph node metastasis were observed (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively).ConclusionsOur novel findings implicate irisin in breast cancer and suggest its potential application as a new diagnostic indicator of the presence of disease.

BackgroundRecent evidence suggests that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) expression is induced in many types of human cancer, while detection of its complex with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is correlated with cancer disease status. We aim to evaluate the serum expression of MMP-9, NGAL and their complex (MMP-9/NGAL) during the diagnostic work-up of women with breast abnormalities and investigate their correlation with disease severity.MethodsThe study included 113 women with non-palpable breast lesions undergoing vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for histological diagnosis, and 30 healthy women, which served as controls. Expression levels of MMP-9, NGAL and their complex MMP-9/NGAL were determined in peripheral blood samples with immunoenzymatic assays.ResultsWomen with invasive ductal carcinoma exhibited significantly increased levels of MMP-9, NGAL and MMP-9/NGAL compared to healthy controls (MMP-9: p < 0.003, NGAL: p < 0.008 MMP-9/NGAL: p < 0.01). Significant correlations were observed between MMP-9 and NGAL serum levels and breast disease severity score (r = 0.229, p < 0.006 and r = 0.206, p < 0.01, respectively), whereas a non-significant correlation was found for their complex. MMP-9, NGAL and their complex MMP-9/NGAL levels were not correlated with either Body Mass Index (BMI) or age of patients.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the serum measurement of MMP-9 and NGAL may be useful in non-invasively monitoring breast cancer progression, while supporting their potential role as early biomarkers of breast disease status.

Malignant and benign thyroid conditions are associated with altered expression levels of interleukins, supporting the association between thyroid disease and underlying inflammatory processes.

Mammography is currently the standard breast cancer screening procedure, even though it is constrained by low specificity in the detection of malignancy and low sensitivity in women with dense breast tissue. Modern imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been developed in an effort to replace or complement mammography, because the early detection of breast cancer is critical for efficient treatment and long-term survival of patients. Nuclear medicine imaging technology has been introduced in the field of oncology with the development of positron emission tomography (PET), positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and, ultimately, positron emission mammography (PEM). PET offers the advantage of precise diagnosis, by measuring metabolism with the use of a radiotracer and identifying changes at the cellular level. PET/CT imaging allows for a more accurate assessment by merging the anatomic localization to the functional image. However, both techniques have not yet been established as diagnostic tools in early breast cancer detection, primarily because of low sensitivity, especially for sub-centimeter and low-grade tumors. PEM, a breast-specific device with increased spatial resolution, has been developed in order to overcome these limitations. It has demonstrated higher detectability than PET/CT and comparable or better sensitivity than MRI. The ability to target the lesions visible in PEM with PEM-guided breast biopsy systems adds to its usability in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The results from recent studies summarized in this review indicate that PEM may prove to be a useful first-line diagnostic tool, although further evaluation and improvement are required.

SummaryDifferentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system. There has been a significant increase in its incidence over the past two decades attributable mainly to the use of more sensitive diagnostic modalities. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology is the mainstay of diagnosis of benign disorders and ma-