title: The correlation of CA15.3 and TPS with tumor course in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to determine the correlation of CA15.3 and TPS with disease course in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of CA15.3 and tissue polypeptide antigen using the M3 monoclonal antibody (TPS) were determined in the serum of 60 patients with metastatic breast cancer. CA15.3 and TPS were measured at two assay times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A change of more than 25% in the serum level of CA15.3 or TPS was highly correlated with tumor response. The association between response and change in marker levels was stronger for CA15.3 (P = 0.0001) than for TPS (P = 0.0005). Distinct mismatches between marker changes and the tumor response were observed for both CA15.3 and TPS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CA15.3 and TPS are useful in the determination of response to treatment. Because of observed disagreement, marker changes can only be regarded as indicative of disease course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Rotterdam Cancer Institute, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pronk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stoter
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: van Putten
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Wit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018396:Mucin-1; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen