title: CA 15-3 in patients with locoregional and metastatic breast carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The value of circulating CA 15-3 levels was assessed in 129 patients with recurrent breast carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided into four subgroups, according to the following: Group A, locoregional recurrence alone; Group B, locoregional and subsequent systemic recurrence; Group C, combined locoregional and systemic recurrence; and Group D, differing sites of systemic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One of 14 patients with locoregional disease alone had increased levels of CA 15-3 (> 25 U/ml). However, 96% of patients (22 of 23 patients) with combined local and systemic disease had increased tumor marker levels. The difference in CA 15-3 levels in patients with combined disease compared with patients with local disease alone was statistically significant (117.0 versus 17.5 U/ml, respectively; P < 0.02). Twenty-four patients with locoregional recurrence later had distant metastasis develop. In this group, patients with an increased CA 15-3 value had a significantly shorter lead time to the development of distant metastases compared with patients with normal tumor marker levels (20.8 +/- 3.3 versus 10.3 +/- 2.7 months, respectively; P < 0.03). CA 15-3 values at diagnosis were increased in 88% of 115 patients with metastatic disease. There was no significant difference in CA 15-3 levels among metastases to lung, liver, and bone nor was there any difference between single and multiple sites of distant metastasis. CA 15-3 is an excellent marker for systemic recurrence of breast carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased levels and no clinical evidence of recurrence strongly indicate the presence of occult metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Geraghty
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Coveney
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sherry
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: O'Higgins
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duffy
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor