Abstract
This study aims to determine whether serum Beta hCG can be used as a tumour marker in Breast malignancies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the serum Beta hCG in various stages of breast carcinoma and to correlate its level with disease severity and prognosis. Cross sectional analytical study of assessing serum Beta hCG in 200 patients with palpable breast malignancies at hospitals in urban Mangalore, India. In our study there was No increase in serum Beta hCG, in women with breast malignancies, but there was a pattern amongst the negative results. A Beta hCG of < 5mIU/mL is taken as negative, but in our study of 200 individuals, a mean value of 2mIU/mL was used as differentiation between low and high risk individuals. With our study we tried to correlate the value of Beta hCG with malignant breast lesions, and even though women with such lesions did not have a value of > 5mIU/mL, we found substantial evidence that women who had a value of > 2mIU/mL had a more advanced disease, be it in terms of staging, and comparing it with markers like ki67. A direct correlation between Beta hCG and severity of the disease in terms of staging was proved, hereby directly affecting the outcome of patients. Higher the level of Beta hCG, graver the prognosis. Even though Beta hCG cannot be used as tumour marker, it can be used to prognosticate the severity in women with palpable breast malignancies.