title: Comparison of CEA, MCA, CA 15-3 and CA 27-29 in follow-up and monitoring therapeutic response in breast cancer patients.
abstract: In order to define the most useful tumor marker panel in breast cancer patients' follow-up and in monitoring treatment response, serological levels of CEA, MCA, Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 were evaluated in 220 patients. 180 patients had no evidence of disease (NED) after primary treatment, and 40 had metastases at first diagnosis time; in a 4 years follow-up, 30 of the NED patients relapsed, and were then included in the group of metastatic patients subjected to anticancer treatment. Overall sensitivity in metastatic patients was: CEA 40%, MCA 35%, Ca 15-3 79%, Ca 27-29 70%, with the highest percentages and mean values in liver and bone localizations. Combination of Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 improved sensitivity in bone lesion (85% vs 80%), in locoregional relapses only association with CEA increased sensitivity (60% vs 40%). Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 values increased on average 3 months before clinical diagnosis. In treated patients there was a better correlation with a clinical course of disease for Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 (both 81%) as compared to the other determined markers.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Patologia, Policlinico Umberto I, Universita La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trasatti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bordin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzetta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bria
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gelibter
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C090797:CA 27-29 antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1; C057387:mucinous carcinoma-associated antigen