Cohort study of association of prediagnostic serum syndecan-4 level with risk of breast cancer

Syndecans (SDCs) are transmembrane proteins involved in inflammation and signaling pathways. A case-control analysis within the cohort of a prospective study in Norway evaluated the association of serum levels of SDC4 and SDC1 in samples collected in 2001 with the risk of breast cancer during follow-up through 2022. Women in the quartiles 2-4 of SDC4 had approximately twofold increased risk of breast cancer during follow-up, while there were no associations between SDC1 and breast cancer risk. The authors conclude that these results suggest that SDC4 may play a role in the initiation and early progression of breast cancer.