title: Breast cancer and clinical utility of CA 15-3 and CEA.
abstract: This manuscript summarizes the experiences with CA 15-3 and CEA obtained in 8,000 breast cancer patients. These markers were usually in normal range (CEA < 6 micrograms/L, CA 15-3 < 40 U/L) before surgery and increased only before the development of distant metastases. 80% of all patients with metastases had elevated marker levels several months before or at the time of detection of metastases. Therefore CA 15-3 and CEA determinations should be used as an easy method for screening of metastases during follow-up of breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department Obstetrics Gynecology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palapelas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Norbert
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen