Using the rich collection of plasma in Karma we are conducting proteomic profiling to identify putative proteins and biomarkers associated with mammographic density. Plasma samples from 1,329 women without prior history of breast cancer have been profiled with antibody suspension bead array assays [Byström, 2018]. Screening proteins in plasma indicates associations between breast density and processes of tissue homeostasis, DNA repair, cancer development and/or progression in breast cancer.
Further studies comparing proteomic profiles of cases and controls in relation to mammographic density and breast cancer risk factors are ongoing.
Some sex hormones and their metabolites are associated with mammographic density and breast cancer risk. To better understand these associations we are studying a large panel of circulating plasma hormones in 700 cases and 1,400 control women.
Byström S, Eklund M, Hong MG, Fredolini C, Eriksson M, Czene K, Hall P, Schwenk JM, Gabrielson M. Affinity proteomic profiling of plasma for proteins associated to area-based mammographic breast density. Breast Cancer Res. 2018 Feb 14;20(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s13058-018-0940-z