title: An individual reference limit for 'early' diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer during postoperative follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is a clinical pilot study with the principal aim to investigate the accuracy of a panel of serum tumor markers for the early diagnosis of relapses. We propose a systematic use of serum CEA-TPA-CA15.3 tumor marker panel and criteria in order to make it an accurate tool for a postoperative breast cancer monitoring.
  
  
  METHODS
  204 disease free breast cancer patients after mastectomy were intensively monitored with serial serum determination of CEA, CA15.3 and TPA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a mean follow-up of 3.7 years the sensitivity of the CEA-TPA-CA15.3 tumor marker panel was 93%, the specificity was 97.6% and the rate of false 'warning signals' per year of follow-up was 9 per 100 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the proposed tool is promising for a postoperative monitoring of breast cancer patients.
authors: Department of Oncology, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Nicolini
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Ferrari
authors: Franca
authors: F
authors: Fulceri
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Carpi
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012008:Recurrence; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: breast cancer; diagnosis; individual reference limit; metastatic; post-operative follow-up; serum tumor marker