Elevated Soluble Galectin-3 as a Marker of Chemotherapy Efficacy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Study

Abstract EN

Purpose.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a glycan-binding lectin with a debated role in cancer progression due to its various functions and patterns of expression.

The current study investigates the relationship between breast cancer prognosis and secreted Gal-3.

Methods.

Breast cancer patients with first time cancer diagnosis and no prior treatment (n=88) were placed in either adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting based on their treatment modality.

Stromal and plasma Gal-3 levels were measured in each patient at the time of diagnosis and then throughout treatment using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ELISA, respectively.

Healthy women (>18 years of age, n=63) were used to establish baseline levels of plasma Gal-3.

Patients were followed for 84 months for disease-free survival analysis.

Results.

Enhanced levels of plasma (adjuvant) and stromal (neoadjuvant) Gal-3 were found to be markers of chemotherapy efficacy.

The patients with chemotherapy-induced increase in extracellular Gal-3 had longer disease-free interval and significantly lower rate of recurrence during 84-month follow-up compared to patients with unchanged or decreased secretion.

Conclusion.

The findings support the use of plasma Gal-3 as a marker for chemotherapy efficacy when no residual tumor is visible through imaging.

Furthermore, stromal levels in any remaining tumors postchemotherapy can also be used to predict long-term prognosis in patients.