Humanin Peptide Shows Promise as New Breast Cancer Diagnostic Biomarker

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating early and accurate diagnostic tools. Current methods, while effective, often involve invasive procedures or lack sufficient sensitivity in early stages. This study investigated the potential of serum humanin (a small mitochondrial-derived peptide known for its cytoprotective effects) as a novel, non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer in an Egyptian cohort.

The study found significantly elevated serum humanin levels in breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls (mean 1.85 ng/mL vs. 0.92 ng/mL, p<0.001). A specific cut-off value for humanin was identified, yielding a diagnostic sensitivity of 88.5% and specificity of 82.4% for breast cancer detection. This indicates a strong ability to correctly identify both positive and negative cases. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for humanin as a diagnostic marker was 0.91, indicating excellent discriminatory power. Furthermore, humanin levels showed a 2.01-fold increase in patients with advanced-stage breast cancer compared to early-stage patients (p<0.05), suggesting potential for staging.