Predictive value of CEA and CA 15-3 in the follow up of invasive breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The clinical usefulness of tumor markers in the follow-up care of invasive breast cancer is controversial.


METHODS
In 1228 serum samples of 664 women with history of breast cancer, the diagnostic accuracy and predictive power of CEA and CA 15-3 for the detection of disease relapse was determined prospectively by analyzing the clinical course for at least 6 months after the measurement of the tumor markers in 1994.


RESULTS
A total of 76 patients relapsed during the period of study. The diagnostic accuracy was 83% for CEA and 88% for CA 15-3. CEA and CA 15-3 had a positive predictive value of 27% and 47% as well as a negative prediction of 91% and 93%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The low positive predictive value and sensitivity of these tumor markers clearly limit their clinical utility. Therefore, the effectiveness of routine determinations during the follow-up seems questionable.
Sütterlin
M
M
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Bussen
S
S
Trott
S
S
Caffier
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012008:Recurrence; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1