More than 25% of women have complaints related to breast lumps during their lifetime and approximately 12% have breast cancer. Cancer antigen 15-3 and homocysteine can be used as biomarkers in breast cancer. Breast cancer produces pro-inflammatory cytokines that can lead to increased CA 15-3 levels and serum homocysteine levels.
Objective: To investigate the differences in CA 15-3 and homocysteine levels between patients with benign tumors and breast cancer.
Methods: Observational analytic study with a cross-sectional approach in 30 benign breast tumor patients and 31 breast cancer patients. Measurement of CA 15-3 levels using enzyme linked immunofluorescent assay (ELFA) and homocysteine using competitive enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Comparative tests used independent T test and Mann-Whitney test. The study was conducted in 2023 at Kariadi Hospital Semarang and Ken Saras Hospital Ungaran.
Results: CA 15-3 levels in the benign breast tumor group had a median of 11.74 (2.00-40.00) U/mL, while the breast cancer group was 18.66 (7.22-168.97) U/mL (p = 0.001). Homocysteine levels in benign breast tumors had a median of 3.05 (0.10-11.50) μmol/L and in the breast cancer group was 9.90 (3.70-17.20) μmol/L (p = 0.0001).
Conclusion: CA 15-3 and homocysteine levels were lower in benign breast tumor patients compared with breast cancer patients.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide health problem. Homocysteine (Hcy) and folic acid (FA) have been found to correlate with intra-renal atherosclerosis, which leads to decreased renal perfusion pressure and may impair the endothelial function of renal arterioles and glomerular capillaries, thus being considered as new risk factors for CKD.
Objective: To investigate serum Hcy and FA as risk factors for CKD.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 patients who underwent creatinine examination. Hcy and FA levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Bivariate analysis to calculate the prevalence ratio (PR) using a 2x2 table and using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to determine the cut off value of HCY and FA in CKD. Results: The mean Hcy level of CKD patients was 7.66±4.25 μmol/L and without CKD was 4.29 ± 2.71 μmol/L. The mean FA levels of CKD and non-CKD patients were 6.75±1.75 and 9.27±9.28 ng/mL, respectively. The prevalence ratio of Hcy to CKD was 2.17 (95%CI=1.35-3.45; p=0.001). The prevalence ratio of FA to CKD was 1.75 (95%CI=1.11-2.75; p=0.014).
Conclusion: Increased Hcy levels and decreased serum FA levels are risk factors for CKD.