Breast cancer continues to be a major health concern for women worldwide, with late-stage diagnosis contributing significantly to high mortality rates. This issue is especially severe in areas with limited resources, where advanced diagnostic tools are often inaccessible due to their cost and complexity.
A recent review highlights the increasing role of hematological and biochemical serum markers in addressing these challenges. These markers, which can be obtained from routine tests such as the complete blood count (CBC), provide information about systemic inflammation and immune responses associated with cancer. Biochemical serum markers further add insights into metabolic and organ function changes caused by disease progression or metastasis.
The review notes that while individual hematological or biochemical markers may not be specific enough for early detection on their own, their combined use can improve risk assessment, prognosis, and monitoring of breast cancer patients. For example, integrating neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with tumor immune characteristics has been shown to enhance prognostic accuracy.
However, the use of these markers is not without limitations. Their results can be influenced by non-cancerous conditions such as infections or obesity, and some require technical improvements before they can be widely used. The review recommends that these biomarkers should support—not replace—clinical examination and imaging techniques.
Looking ahead, researchers suggest focusing on standardizing testing protocols and using new technologies like liquid biopsy and machine learning to analyze multiple biomarkers at once. Further study into how hematological indicators interact with oxidative stress and genetic factors may also reveal new treatment targets.
Hematological and serum-based biomarkers could play an important role in improving breast cancer care globally, particularly in settings where resources are scarce. Markers including NLR, PLR, CA 15-3, and those related to oxidative stress offer affordable options for tracking disease progression. Integrating them into broader diagnostic strategies could lead to earlier detection and more personalized treatment plans for patients around the world.
