title: The use of CA15.3 as a serum tumour marker in breast carcinoma.
abstract: There is, as yet, no tumour marker which is sufficiently specific and sensitive for use in the routine assessment of breast cancer patients. CA15.3 is a recently described tumour marker determined by two monoclonal antibodies. We have estimated CA15.3 by immunoradiometric assay in 187 patients attending a breast clinic. Eighty-one patients with benign disease were used as controls and 32 U/ml was taken as the upper limit of the normal range (means + 3SD = 31.7). Of 58 women with Stage I and II disease, only four had abnormal concentrations of CA15.3 and all are disease-free at a mean follow-up of 31 months. Seven women with normal CA15.3 concentrations developed recurrent disease at a mean of 18.7 months (range 10-25 months). Seven-day postoperative values were significantly lower than pre-operative values. There was no association between the CA15.3 value and the axillary nodal status. The patients with disseminated disease had a wide range of CA15.3 concentrations and there was no association between the CA15.3 concentration and the apparent tumour load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D001365:Axilla; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor