Prognostic Significance of CRP and CA 15-3 Levels in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer: A Comparative Study

Background — C-reactive protein (CRP) and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) are commonly studied biomarkers in breast cancer, but their prognostic significance at diagnosis remains unclear. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the prognostic value of serum CRP and CA 15-3 levels in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Methods — We enrolled 39 patients with primary breast cancer in our single-center study. Serum CRP and CA 15-3 levels were measured at diagnosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to determine optimal cut-off values. Survival outcomes were analyzed. Results — Elevated CRP and CA 15-3 levels were associated with shorter progression-free survival and overall survival. In particular, CRP demonstrated significant prognostic value. However, due to the critically small sample size, the obtained results should be considered preliminary. Conclusion — Serum CRP and CA 15-3 levels may serve as potential prognostic markers in breast cancer. These results are hypothetical and require confirmation in larger cohorts.