Interplay of the IGFBP-3 polymorphism and serum levels of IGF-1/IGFBP-3 with hormone receptor subtypes in patients with breast cancer among Palestinian women

Abstract

Breast cancer remains a global public health challenge. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between serum levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), the IGFBP-3 A-202C polymorphism and hormone receptor subtypes: estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) with respect to breast cancer risk in Palestinian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 112 newly diagnosed, histopathologically confirmed breast cancer patients. Data collection included structured interviews and laboratory analyses, including biochemical, genetic, and immunohistochemical assessments. The tumor tissue samples were analyzed for ER, PR, and HER-2 status. SPSS version 28 was used for all data analysis. A high prevalence of hormone receptor positivity was observed. Among the breast cancer patients, 87.5% were ER positive and 84.8% were PR positive. A total of 75.9% were HER-2 negative. The IGFBP-3 A-202C genotype is significantly associated with PR and combined ER/PR positivity ( p  = 0.020). Patients with ER(+)/PR(+) status had significantly higher serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels ( p  ≤ 0.001), with IGF-1 levels positively correlated with hormone receptor status ( r s  = 0.232, p  ≤ 0.001) and advanced disease stages, moderately with Stage III ( r s  = 0.191, p  ≤ 0.001) and weakly correlated with Stage IV ( r s  = 0.119, p  = 0.029). These findings suggest that IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may have potential as candidate biomarkers for breast cancer risk and progression. Integrating genetic, biochemical, and hormone receptor status provides novel insights into breast cancer biology and may support future research on personalized prevention and treatment strategies, particularly in resource-limited settings such as the Gaza Strip.