Comparison of Serum Human Epididymis Protein 4 (HE4) Levels in Breast Cancer Patients and Healthy Individuals

Human Epididymis Protein 4 (HE4) is one of serum biomarkers that recently reported in gynecological cancers, including breast cancer. This study aimed to compare serum HE4 levels in breast cancer patients and healthy individuals. This cross-sectional study examined serum HE4 levels in 42 patients and 36 healthy women in 2019. Samples were easily selected from women referring to a teaching hospital. Healthy women were selected from the normal population who did not have a risk factor for breast cancer. Demographic information were recorded in a checklist. Then 10 cc of venous blood was taken from each patient. After centrifugation, serum and plasma were kept at minus 80 °C. The HE4 level was measured with Immunoassay Chemi Luminescence Method and using HE4 kits made by German company Cobas. The mean age of the patients and healthy individuals was 48.76 ± 14.97 and 39.88 ± 14.05 years, respectively. The average size of tumor in patients was 4.70 ± 2.48 cm. The average serum HE4 level in patients and healthy individuals was 68.01 ± 63.39 and 50.06 ± 14.97, respectively (P = 0.46). There was a significant relationship between serum HE4 levels and age of patients (P = 0.01). This study showed an increase in HE4 levels in breast cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. Preliminary results suggest that HE4 may serve as a new biomarker for breast cancer. However, more large-scale clinical studies are needed to further determine the predictive value of this biomarker as well as its molecular mechanisms in carcinogenesis and tumor progression, especially in breast cancer.