Biochemical Alterations in Endocrine and Inflammatory Pathways Following Breast Cancer Surgery: Laboratory Evidence and Clinical Implications

Endocrine–Inflammatory Biochemical Profiles in Breast Cancer

  • Yafang Luo Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Jinglan Xu Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Hui Chen Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/jomb0-63067
Keywords: endocrine biomarkers, inflammatory mediators, IL-6, CRP, TNF-α, estradiol, breast cancer, biochemical profiling

Abstract


Background: Breast cancer surgery induces substantial physiological stress that disrupts endocrine regulation and triggers systemic inflammation. However, the biochemical dynamics underlying these perioperative alterations remain insufficiently characterized. This study investigated laboratory-based endocrine and inflammatory biomarker changes following breast cancer surgery and explored their clinical significance.

Methods: A total of 120 breast cancer patients were evaluated. Serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured preoperatively and on postoperative day 7 using validated ELISA assays with strict analytical quality control. Clinical outcomes—including psychological status, cognitive recovery, quality of life, and postoperative complications—were assessed as secondary indicators to explore potential biochemical–clinical associations.

Results: Postoperative endocrine suppression was evident, with significant reductions in E2 and P levels (P < 0.05), reflecting acute stress–related modulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis activity. IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α declined significantly postoperatively (all P < 0.001), demonstrating resolution of acute-phase inflammatory activation. Greater biochemical stabilization was associated with improved emotional scores, cognitive function, and quality-of-life indices, as well as a reduced incidence of postoperative complications.

Conclusion: Breast cancer surgery induces characteristic biochemical changes involving endocrine suppression and systemic inflammatory activation. Monitoring hormonal and inflammatory biomarkers provides valuable insight into postoperative physiological stress, recovery mechanisms, and potential risk stratification. These findings support integrating laboratory-based biochemical assessments into postoperative management frameworks for breast cancer patients.

References

1. Barzaman K, Karami J, Zarei Z, Hosseinzadeh A, Kazemi MH, Moradi-Kalbolandi S, et al. Breast cancer: Biology, biomarkers, and treatments. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 84: 106535.
2. Xiong X, Zheng L, Ding Y, Chen Y, Cai Y, Wang L, et al. Breast cancer: pathogenesis and treatments. Signal Transduct Tar 2025; 10(1): 49.
3. Li Z, Wei H, Li S, Wu P, Mao X. The Role of Progesterone Receptors in Breast Cancer. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16: 305-14.
4. Zhang Y, Xia K, Li C, Wei B, Zhang B. Review of Breast Cancer Pathologigcal Image Processing. Biomed Res Int 2021; 2021: 1994764.
5. Anastasiadi Z, Lianos GD, Ignatiadou E, Harissis HV, Mitsis M. Breast cancer in young women: an overview. Updates Surg 2017; 69(3): 313-7.
6. Desai P, Aggarwal A. Breast Cancer in Women Over 65 years- a Review of Screening and Treatment Options. Clin Geriatr Med 2021; 37(4): 611-23.
7. Tada K. Bilateral Breast Cancer. Am Surgeon 2025; 91(5): 854-8.
8. Tray N, Taff J, Adams S. Therapeutic landscape of metaplastic breast cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2019; 79: 101888.
9. Rooney MM, Miller KN, Plichta JK. Genetics of Breast Cancer: Risk Models, Who to Test, and Management Options. Surg Clin N Am 2023; 103(1): 35-47.
10. Marangoni E. Patient-Derived Xenografts of Breast Cancer. Adv Exp Med Biol 2025; 1464: 109-21.
11. Hutchinson L. Breast cancer: challenges, controversies, breakthroughs. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2010; 7(12): 669-70.
12. Montero A, Ciervide R, Garcia-Aranda M, Rubio C. Postmastectomy radiation therapy in early breast cancer: Utility or futility? Crit Rev Oncol Hemat 2020; 147: 102887.
13. Guo H. Interactions between the tumor microbiota and breast cancer. Front Cell Infect Mi 2024; 14: 1499203.
14. Nigdelis MP, Karamouzis MV, Kontos M, Alexandrou A, Goulis DG, Lambrinoudaki I. Updates on the treatment of invasive breast cancer: Quo Vadimus? Maturitas 2021; 145: 64-72.
15. Baade P. Geographical Variation in Breast Cancer Outcomes. Int J Env Res Pub He 2017; 14(5):
16. Shigematsu H, Fujisawa T, Shien T, Iwata H. Omitting surgery for early breast cancer showing clinical complete response to primary systemic therapy. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2020; 50(6): 629-34.
17. Tichy JR, Lim E, Anders CK. Breast cancer in adolescents and young adults: a review with a focus on biology. J Natl Compr Canc Ne 2013; 11(9): 1060-9.
18. Menta A, Fouad TM, Lucci A, Le-Petross H, Stauder MC, Woodward WA, et al. Inflammatory Breast Cancer: What to Know About This Unique, Aggressive Breast Cancer. Surg Clin N Am 2018; 98(4): 787-800.
19. Reigle BS, Wonders K. Breast cancer and the role of exercise in women. Methods Mol Biol 2009; 472: 169-89.
20. Cooperman AM, Hermann R. Breast cancer: an overview. Surg Clin N Am 1984; 64(6): 1031-8.
21. Donegan WL. Cancer of the breast in men. Ca-Cancer J Clin 1991; 41(6): 339-54.
22. Hwang K. Clinical Databases for Breast Cancer Research. Adv Exp Med Biol 2021; 1187: 493-509.
23. Kimbung S, Loman N, Hedenfalk I. Clinical and molecular complexity of breast cancer metastases. Semin Cancer Biol 2015; 35: 85-95.
24. Tryfonidis K, Senkus E, Cardoso MJ, Cardoso F. Management of locally advanced breast cancer-perspectives and future directions. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2015; 12(3): 147-62.
25. Ignatiadis M, Sotiriou C. Luminal breast cancer: from biology to treatment. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2013; 10(9): 494-506.
Published
2025/12/24
Issue
Ahead of print
Section
Original paper

Copyright (c) 2025 Yafang Luo, Jinglan Xu, Hui Chen

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The published articles will be distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY). It is allowed to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and remix, transform, and build upon it for any purpose, even commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original author(s), a link to the license is provided and it is indicated if changes were made. Users are required to provide full bibliographic description of the original publication (authors, article title, journal title, volume, issue, pages), as well as its DOI code. In electronic publishing, users are also required to link the content with both the original article published in Journal of Medical Biochemistry and the licence used.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.