Relationships between preoperative low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triple-negative breast cancer as well as its prognosis

Qi Lin; Ju Ying; Fan Weihua; Tian Wenjun; Liu Chunmei; Liu Yiqing

doi:10.3760/j.issn.1673-4777.2026.06.015

Abstract：Objective To analyze the correlation between preoperative low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),and to explore its predictive value for disease-free survival(DFS)and survival status of TNBC patients.Methods A total of 120 patients with TNBC,136 patients with benign breast tumors and 155 healthy physical examinees admitted to Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from January 2010 to December 2020 were enrolled.General data of each group were compared.Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the predictive value and optimal cut-off value of LDL-C for TNBC.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to analyze the influencing factors of DFS and overall survival in TNBC patients.Results The LDL-C level in the TNBC group was significantly higher than those in the healthy examination group and benign breast tumor group[2.97(2.46,3.45)mmol/L vs 2.48(2.03,2.82),2.48(2.09,2.98)mmol/L](both P＜0.05).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of LDL-C for predicting TNBC was 0.711,and the optimal cut-off value was 2.83 mmol/L.TNBC patients were divided into low concentration group(＜2.83 mmol/L,50 cases)and high concentration group(≥2.83 mmol/L,70 cases)according to the cut-off value.LDL-C level was significantly correlated with age,menopausal and lymph node metastasis(all P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and LDL-C were independent risk factors for DFS and overall survival in TNBC patients(all P＜0.05).The survival rate of TNBC patients decreased with the increase of LDL-C level(P＜0.05).Conclusions TNBC patients have relatively elevated LDL-C levels.Both LDL-C and lymph node metastasis affect DFS and overall survival of TNBC patients,and LDL-C possesses important predictive value for the prognosis of TNBC.