Salivary tumor marker CA15-3 and selected elements in relation to oral health status among a group of breast cancer women

Abstract EN

Background : Breast cancer is the commonest type of malignancy worldwide and in Iraq.

It is a serious disease that affects the general health and cause systemic changes that affect the physical and chemical properties of saliva leading to adverse effects on oral health.

This study was conducted to assess the tumor marker CA15-3 and selected elements in saliva and their relation to oral health status among breast cancer patients compared to control group.

Materials and Methods : The total sample consisted of 60 women aged 35-45 years.

30 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer before taking any treatment and surgery (study group) and 30 women without clinical signs and symptoms of breast cancer as a control group.

Dental caries was recorded using DMFS index of WHO1987, and periodontal parameters which include plaque index (PlI), calculus index (CalI), gingival index (GI), and Ramfjod index for the loss of periodontal attachment (CAL) were recorded.

Stimulated salivary samples were collected and salivary flow rate, salivary CA15-3 and selected elements were determined.

Results : Caries experience (DMFS) was higher among the study group compared with the control group but the difference was statistically not significant.

The mean values of plaque index, calculus index, gingival index and loss of attachment were higher among the study group than the control group with a highly significant difference (P < 0.01).

The concentrations of the tumor marker CA15-3 in saliva of breast cancer patients were highly significantly higher than that of the controls.

The salivary flow rate was observed to be lower among study group compared to control group with a highly significant difference (P < 0.01).

Higher concentrations of salivary phosphorus, copper and total proteins were recorded among study group compared to control with statistically highly significant differences concerning phosphorus and copper.

While salivary calcium and zinc were lower among study group compared to control group with statistically highly significant difference concerning zinc.

Conclusions : This study showed that the breast cancer patients had poor oral hygiene and higher rates of periodontal diseases and dental caries.

In addition, the results of this study could support the concept that salivary concentrations of CA15–3 might serve to be used in the detection of breast cancer and/or the post-operative followup of patients under treatment for carcinoma of the breast.