Assessment Levels of cytokines and chemokines parameters in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women with Breast Cancer

Background Immune dysregulation—particularly involving cytokines and chemokines—contributes to breast cancer progression and metastasis. To compare circulating levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-34 (IL-34), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) between premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer and age-matched healthy controls. Methods In this case–control study, 130 women were enrolled: 90 patients with breast cancer (45 premenopausal; 45 postmenopausal) and 40 healthy controls (20 premenopausal; 20 postmenopausal). Serum IL-17, IL-34, and CXCL12 concentrations were quantified by ELISA. Group differences were assessed using independent-samples t-tests. Results Mean serum levels of IL-17, IL-34, and CXCL12 were significantly higher in patients than in controls across both menopausal strata (all p < 0.001). The pattern of elevation was consistent in premenopausal and postmenopausal subgroups, indicating that the observed immune perturbations are not restricted by menopausal status. Conclusions IL-17, IL-34, and CXCL12 are markedly elevated in women with breast cancer irrespective of menopausal state and may serve as accessible immune biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring. Validation in larger, longitudinal cohorts is warranted to evaluate diagnostic performance and potential therapeutic relevance.