Comparison of bone scanning and CA 15-3 serum concentration in the follow-up of breast cancer.
The follow-up bone scans (BS) of 158 women with breast cancer and without known bone metastases were reviewed and compared with serum CA 15-3 concentration. Ninety-three BS were systematic (normal serum CA 15-3) and 3 corresponded to proven bone metastases. Sixty-five BS were motivated:-by isolated bone pain (20 BS. 1 corresponding to metastases),-by bone pain and signs of progression of the disease (11 BS. 7 corresponding to metastases: elevated serum CA 15-3 except in one case), by known visceral metastases (20 BS. 6 corresponding to metastases with elevated serum CA 15-3), by an isolated increase of serum CA 15-3 (7 BS. 4 corresponding to metastasis) by local recurrence (7 BS. 1 corresponding to metastasis). These results show that bone metastases were diagnosed in 6 patients whose serum CA 15-3 concentration was normal. We conclude that the existence of normal tumor markers is not sufficient to exclude the possibility of bone metastases.
Montravers
F
F
Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France.
Younsi
N
N
Rousseau
C
C
Philippe
C
C
Seddiki
M
M
Uzan
S
S
Izrael
V
V
Talbot
J N
JN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010146:Pain; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1