Blood Glycan Biomarkers in Women With Stage IV Breast Cancer

Serum Glycan Analysis in Breast Cancer

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur and identify biomarkers related to cancer.

PURPOSE: This research study is looking at blood glycan biomarkers in women with stage IV breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• To profile serum glycan biomarkers in women with metastatic stage IV breast cancer, healthy controls, and patients with noncancer medical illness.
• To determine whether serial serum glycan biomarkers correlate with response of metastatic disease to treatment.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Blood is collected from patients with metastatic breast cancer, patients with noncancerous illness, and healthy volunteers. Samples are analyzed for serum glycan biomarkers by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and Fourier transform ion-cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS) methods.

Blood samples are collected every 3 months for up to 18 months from patients with metastatic breast cancer. Patients without cancer have a single sample collected.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Patient or participant at the Women's Health Clinic, the Internal Medicine Clinic, or at the UC Davis Cancer Center, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Diagnosis of stage IV metastatic breast cancer, receiving active treatment with chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, or targeted therapy

  • Patients/participants without cancer

    • Healthy control being seen for annual exams, meeting the following criteria:

      • No chronic disease
      • Not on regular prescribed medications

    • Patient without cancer being seen in the Internal Medicine Clinic

• Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Menopausal status not specified
• Not pregnant or breast feeding
• No other active cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics