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Evaluation of hPG80 (Circulating Progastrin) as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Young Women in the United Arab Emirates
August 2025
Journals - Cancer Diagnosis & Prognosis August 2025
Abstract
Background/aim:
Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with rising incidence among women under 46 years - particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Despite this, no effective screening tools exist for this population. This study evaluated, for the first time, the diagnostic potential of hPG80 (circulating progastrin), a promising multi-cancer blood biomarker, in young women with BC through a monocentric prospective clinical trial at the University Hospital of Sharjah, UAE.
Patients and methods:
Plasma hPG80 levels were measured using the DxPG80.lab ELISA kit (Biodena Care, France) in blood samples. The study enrolled 50 treatment-naïve BC patients -21 under 46 years- along with 47 asymptomatic individuals under 45, and 78 asymptomatic individuals above 45. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) analyses.
Results:
hPG80 levels were significantly higher in BC patients compared to asymptomatic individuals [median: 3.55 pM, interquartile range (IQR)=1.38-4.89 vs. 1.66 pM, IQR: 0.00-3.51; p=0.0006], with an AUC of 0.68 [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.58-0.77; p=0.0008]. Among young women, hPG80 was also elevated in BC patients (median: 2.24 pM, IQR=0.87-4.09) versus asymptomatic individuals (median: 1.66 pM, IQR=0.00-2.47; p=0.0425), with an AUC of 0.65 (95%CI=0.50-0.80; p=0.0443). Using the kit's limit of quantification (3.3 pM) as cutoff, sensitivity was 47.6%, specificity 89.4%, negative predictive value 79.2%, and positive predictive value 66.7% for distinguishing early-onset BC from asymptomatic individuals.
Conclusion:
hPG80 may serve as a useful blood-based biomarker to support BC screening in young, high-risk women, particularly when combined with imaging. Validation in larger cohorts is warranted to confirm its role in early BC detection.