Prognostic Significance of Systemic Cholesterol Profile in Patients with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer ranks as the number one cancer among Indian females with survival as low as 66.1%. Relationship between cholesterol and breast cancer has triggered special interest due to their role in important cellular processes that steer toward carcinogenesis. The interplay between cholesterol and tumor development have been studied in experimental breast cancer models. However, epidemiological data reveal conflicting results, that need to be integrated and put into appropriate viewpoint. This study aims to investigate and corroborate the impact of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol on the disease-free and overall survival of patients with breast cancer. This study retrospectively analyzed 50 breast cancer patients who underwent radical surgery and attended follow-up visits at KIMS Hospitals. The blood lipid levels such as TC, TG, VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol were collected and analyzed from the database of Department of Laboratory Medicine. Potential prognostic factors including age, menopause, grade, receptor status, systemic cholesterol profile etc., were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. TC less than 180mg/dL was associated with disease relapse in univariate analysis. TG, VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol were not significantly correlated either to disease-free or overall survival. Low systemic cholesterol level could be a significant prognostic factor for a shorter disease-free survival.