Plasma Levels and Diagnostic Utility of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 as New Biomarkers of Breast Cancer

摘要

BackgroundMacrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and its specific tissue inhibitor - tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) may play an important role in the pathogenesis and spread of cancer. We investigated the plasma levels of M-CSF, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 in comparison with a commonly accepted tumor marker CA 15-3 in breast cancer patients and in control groups.