Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41776320›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Comprehensive antigen profiling predicts post-surgical neuropathic pain in women treated for breast cancer.

Helle Sadam, Laura Mustonen, Annika Rähni, Janne K Nieminen, Maarja Toots, Mariliis Uusväli, Arno Pihlak, Pentti J Tienari, Hanna Harno, Kaia Palm and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Helle Sadam *Protobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Laura Mustonen *Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. laura.mustonen@helsinki.fi.
Annika Rähni *Protobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Janne K NieminenNeurocenter, Neurology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Maarja TootsProtobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Mariliis UusväliProtobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Arno PihlakProtobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Pentti J TienariNeurocenter, Neurology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Hanna HarnoDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Kaia Palm *Protobios Llc, Tallinn, Estonia.
Eija Kalso *Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Funding

Estonian Research Council PRG1953Estonian Research Council PSG691European Union FP7 #Health_F2_2013-602891 grant NeuroPainEU's HE research and innovation program 101095436Helsinki University Hospital Research Funds to the Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine Y102011092the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research 5.1-4/20/170
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The importance of neuroimmune interactions in neuropathic pain (NP) has been established, but antibody-mediated mechanisms remain underexplored. In this explorative case-control study, we analyzed antibody profiles in patients with intercostobrachial nerve injury during breast cancer (BC) surgery. We compared 27 patients who developed chronic NP with 30 who remained NP-free, despite similar nerve injury. Plasma samples were collected before surgery and 4–9 years later. Mimotope variation analysis (MVA), a next generation random peptide phage display method revealed highly individual yet shared antigen profiles. We identified 1882 antibody epitopes differing between the study groups and that were associated with 79 common human pathogens. NP patients showed elevated pre-surgical antibody responses to viral epitopes of CMV (cytomegalovirus), EBV (Epstein-Barr virus), human papilloma virus-16 (HPV-16), human rhinovirus C3 (HRV C3), Herpes Simplex-1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex-2 (HSV-2), while antibody levels against Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) were lower. These findings persisted over time. The combination of responses to five viral epitopes (CVB3, EBV, CMV, HPV-16, HSV-2) predicted persistent NP (AUC 0.9, 95% CI 0.794–0.963). These findings implicate elevated antiviral immune responses in NP pathogenesis and encourage further clinical and basic research on the molecular mechanisms and novel treatment strategies for managing NP.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsNeuralgiaPostoperative PainAdultAgedAntibodies, ViralCase-Control StudiesEpitopesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedAntibodies, ViralEpitopesAntibody responseHerpesvirusNeuropathic painPost-surgical pain

Identifiers

PMID41776320
PMCPMC13086930

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.