title: The prognostic value of the tumor marker CA 15-3 at initial diagnosis of patients with breast cancer.
abstract: CA 15-3 has been most widely used as a serum tumor marker in follow-up and detection of breast cancer recurrence. In this study we have specifically focused upon the prognostic implications and utility of preoperative CA 15-3 levels. We have identified on our database 414 patients with breast cancer in whom serial levels of the serum tumor marker CA 15-3 had been determined at diagnosis and follow-up. We have analyzed the follow-up and clinical outcomes in these patients and from this data we have assessed the potential of CA 15-3 as a predictor of five-year overall and disease-free survival. Our results show that an initially elevated CA 15-3 level is associated with a very poor prognosis in both early and late stage disease. Elevated pre-biopsy CA 15-3 levels are associated with 14% five-year disease-free survival rates and 17% overall survival rates at five years. In contrast, normal CA 15-3 levels are associated with 47% five-year disease-free survival rates and 54% overall survival rates at five years (p<0.01). Comparison of five-year survival rates between patients with elevated and normal CA 15-3 levels in early breast cancer (stage I and II) also showed significant differences, with survival being 41% and 75%, respectively (p<0.01).
authors.affiliation: National Breast Cancer Research Institute, University College Hospital Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grimes
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Given
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018396:Mucin-1