title: A decision support system for predicting a recurrence of breast cancer; a prospective study of serum tumour markers TAG 12, CA 15-3 and MCA.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical value of the preoperative serum tumour markers TAG 12, CA 15-3 and MCA in predicting a recurrence of breast cancer patients. The sensitivity of the TAG 12 test was 54%, that of the CA 15-3 test 15% and that of the MCA test 15% in predicting a recurrence of breast cancer. The most important predictor of breast cancer recurrence was TAG 12. In order to evaluate the contributions of different tumour marker serum test, a stepwise discriminant analysis was carried out. The discriminant function (DF) is DF = TAG 12 x 0.061 - CA 15-3 x 0.1336 - 0.396. The sensitivity of the DF in detecting recurrence of breast cancer was 63% with a specificity of 90% and an efficiency of 75%. In conclusion, the results indicate that a new tumour marker TAG 12 is superior to CA 15-3 and MCA in predicting breast cancer recurrence. In this study the discriminant function including TAG 12 and CA 15-3 was superior to single preoperative tumour marker tests. The results speak for the use of a decision support system to aid in predicting a recurrence of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eskelinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hippeläinen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alhava
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C069631:TAG 12; C057387:mucinous carcinoma-associated antigen