title: Long-term follow-up study in breast cancer patients using serum tumor markers CEA and CA 15-3.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate CEA and CA 15-3 changes in patients surgically treated for breast cancer. One hundred and three women (median age 59 years, range 31-83 years) with pT1-2, pN0-1, M0 breast cancer were followed up for at least 5 years. CEA and CA 15-3 serum levels were measured before operation and every 6 months during follow-up. The diagnostic sensitivity of CEA and CA 15-3 was 22.3% and 33.3% respectively. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) between pre- and post-operative (6 months and 5 years after surgery) mean CEA serum levels independent of TNM staging. During follow-up, 21 (20.4%) patients showed recurrence of cancer and overall CEA and CA 15-3 sensitivity was 38.1% and 61.1%, with 98.8% and 91.2% specificity, respectively. Tumor marker measurement may be useful in post-surgical follow-up, but at present they are neither sensitive nor specific enough for early diagnosis of malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgical and Gastroenterologic Sciences, University of Padua, School of Medicine, Italy. cc1@ux1.unipd.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lumachi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brandes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boccagni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Polistina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favia
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: D'Amico
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1