CATHEPSINS AS MARKERS OF MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE MAMMARY GLANDS

There are several clinical forms of breast cancer. This is a diffuse form, nodular, as well as Pagets cancer of the nipple. The most common form of breast cancer is the nodular form, which occurs in 75-80% of cases. Pagets cancer is much less common, namely in 3-5% of all cases, the diffuse form of 11-15%, respectively. One of the most acute problems of this pathology is timely and accurate diagnosis with the choice of further treatment tactics. Cathepsins are lysosomal proteases – a group of enzymes involved in the regulation of most processes occurring in the female body. The main purpose of this article is to draw attention to the relevance of this topic for further research, as markers of breast cancer. To do this, we conducted an analysis of articles, publications, abstracts and works for a scientific degree. As a result of the analysis of these data, we found that the activity of cathepsins in breast cancer is significantly increased compared with the intact mammary gland. The level of cathepsin D is several times greater than the level of cathepsin B. It was also found that these substances are involved in further processes of tumor metastasis, destruction and invasion. Upon further study and improvement of methods for determining cathepsins in the blood, it is possible to use them as markers of this pathology long before clinical manifestations.