CA 15-3 value and neoplastic disease predictivity in the follow-up for breast cancer.
The role of CA 15-3 in breast cancer has been widely studied by several authors. This study was designed to describe the predictivity of CA 15-3 determinations for the metastasis or second primary tumor in patients subjected to follow-up for breast cancer. All the 1,123 determinations of CA 15-3 carried out during 1991 in a hospital laboratory were analyzed. By cross-matching anagraphic items of patients with clinical data from different hospital databases, it was possible to reconstruct the clinical history. At the cutoff point of 40 U/ml, the positive predictive value of the CA 15-3 was 99.4%. This study shows the very close association between CA 15-3 > or = 40.0 U/ml and disease, suggesting a careful restaging when the marker increases without clinical evidence of metastases. Hormonal treatment should also be considered.
Busetto
M
M
Divisione di Radioterapie e Oncologia Medica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia Federico II, Università di Napoli, Italia.
Vianello
L
L
Franceschi
R
R
Bolzan
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D018396:Mucin-1