T-helper Transcription Factor Profiling in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: A Non-invasive Approach to Predicting Disease Stage in Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality among women, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic and treatment approaches. This study aims to analyze the expression levels of key immunologic factors in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) population of breast cancer patients and assess their relationship with various disease characteristics. A total of 48 treatment-naive breast cancer patients were enrolled, with blood samples collected prior to surgery for PBMC isolation. Gene expression of Foxp3, RORγt, GATA3, and T-bet was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Gene expressions of Foxp3, RORγt, and GATA3 were significantly elevated in breast cancer patients compared to controls. Logistic regression revealed a strong association between elevated RORγt levels and larger tumor sizes. Subgroup analysis indicated that Foxp3 related to lymphovascular invasion (LVI), RORγt correlated with lymph node involvement and tumor size, GATA3 was associated with tumor size alone, and T-bet was linked to disease stage. ROC analysis demonstrated T-bet and Foxp3 as sensitive indicators for disease stage, while RORγt was notable for lymph node involvement. The study indicates that T-helper cell-related transcription factors in PBMCs reflect important clinical characteristics of breast cancer, supporting the role of T cell immune responses in disease progression. PBMCs emerge as a promising and accessible resource for diagnostic information in breast cancer.