| Sumario: | Background: The early diagnosis of breast cancer has remained a significant challenge in Africa, Nigeria inclusive. Early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer are vital in its management especially in subjects who have little or no symptoms. Objectives: To determine proteins that may be expressed in serum and urine of breast cancer subjects but not present in control subjects. Study Design: The study was designed to determine proteins that may be expressed in serum and urine of breast cancer subjects but not present in control subjects. Methods: A total of fifty breast cancer subjects and fifty apparently healthy subjects without family history (control) were investigated. Blood and urine specimen were collected from the subjects for qualitative analysis of serum and urinary proteins using sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) while serum Carcinoembrionic antigen (CEA) (ng/ml), Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 15-3(U/mI) were analyzed using Enzyme linked immunoassay technique. Results: The results showed that some proteins (kDa) were exclusively detected in the serum and urine of breast cancer subjects but not control subjects. CA-15-3 and CEA were significantly higher in breast cancer subjects compared with control subjects (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations were observed between CA-15-3 and CEA (r = 0.428, p = 0.002). Two of the detected proteins (pi 1.25 and p34) showed significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) with CA-15-3. Conclusion: Detection of proteins that show significant correlations with classical markers CEA and CA 15-3 in breast cancer subjects may serve as better markers for breast cancer diagnosis. This in turn will minimize unnecessary biopsies since they can be detected in serum.
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