title: CA15.3, CEA and LDH in dogs with malignant mammary tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Presence of tumor markers in serum might be connected to the number of secreting cells and with the stage of the neoplasm. However, there are few studies regarding these markers in veterinary clinical oncology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the serum concentrations of cancer antigen 15.3 (CA 15.3), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in female dogs with different stages of mammary cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety female dogs, including 30 that were healthy, 40 that had nonmetastatic cancer, 12 with regional metastasis, and 8 with distant lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-controlled observational study. Serum samples were collected to measure CA15.3, CEA, and LDH from 60 female dogs with mammary cancer during mastectomy and 30 healthy female dogs during routine check-up. CA15.3 and CEA were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay and LDH by ultraviolet kinetic method. Western blotting analysis was performed to confirm the specificity and possible cross-reactivity of human CA15.3 and CEA antibodies with canine serum. Group data were compared by ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls and Tukey's tests. Correlations were investigated by Pearson and Spearman tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CEA, CA15.3, and LDH were measurable in all groups. Higher serum concentration of CA15.3 and LDH was associated with regional and distant metastases. There was a significantly higher serum CA15.3 concentration in animals with lymph node metastasis when compared with animals without metastasis. There were no significant differences in CEA among groups. Expression of CA15.3 and CEA in canine serum was confirmed by Western blotting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CA15.3 can be used to distinguish nonmetastatic from metastatic carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Sciences, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG,, Brazil.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lavalle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estrela-Lima
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Melgaço de Faria
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Á P
authors.initials: ÁP
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: É M L
authors.initials: ÉM
authors.lastname: Rabelo
authors.forename: A F D
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Vieira da Costa
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Cassali
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase