title: Sensitivity of serum tumor markers CEA and CA 15-3 in breast cancer recurrences and correlation with different prognostic factors.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum tumor markers CEA and CA 15-3 in breast cancer (BC) patients with disease relapse and different prognostic parameters at first operation. Sixty-two women (median age 55 years, range 35-83 years) who had undergone curative surgery for pT1-2 pN0-1 M0 breast cancer developed local recurrences, distant metastases or contralateral BC during a median relapse time of 53 months (range 25-149 months). Sensitivity of CEA, CA 15-3, and CEA + CA 15-3 together was 40.3%, 41.9% and 59.7%, respectively. No correlation (p = NS) was found between tumor markers sensitivity and type of recurrence, surgical procedure, histologic subtypes and hormone receptors rate. CEA significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with the size of the tumor and axillary node status and CA 15-3 with the age of the patients. In conclusion, CEA and CA 15-3 should be considered complementary in detecting BC recurrences but their sensitivity is low and independent of the majority of the prognostic parameters that may be considered before relapse.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical & Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, School of Medicine, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. lumachi@ux1.unipd.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lumachi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brandes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ermani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boccagni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D015413:Mastectomy, Simple; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1