CA 15-3 in patients with locoregional and metastatic breast carcinoma

✍ Scribed by J. G. Geraghty; E. C. Coveney; F. Sherry; N. J. O'Higgins; M. J. Dufy

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 341 KB
• Volume: 70
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19921215)70:12<2831::aid-cncr2820701218>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

Background. The value of circulating CA 15-3 levels was assessed in 129 patients with recurrent breast carcinoma.

Methods. Patients were divided into four subgroups, according to the following: Group A, locoregional recurrence alone; Group B, locoregional and subsequent systemic recurrence; Group C, combined locoregional and systemic recurrence; and Group D, differing sites of systemic disease.

Results. One of 14 patients with locoregional disease alone had increased levels of CA 15-3 (> 25 U/ml). However, 96% of patients (22 of 23 patients) with combined local and systemic disease had increased tumor marker levels. The difference in CA 15-3 levels in patients with combined disease compared with patients with local disease alone was statistically significant (117.0 versus 17.5 U/ml, respectively; P < 0.02). Twentyfour patients with locoregional recurrence later had distant metastasis develop. In this group, patients with an increased CA 15-3 value had a significantly shorter lead time to the development of distant metastases compared with patients with normal tumor marker levels (20.8 f 3.3 versus 10.3 k 2.7 months, respectively; P < 0.03). CA 15-3 values at diagnosis were increased in 88% of 115 patients with metastatic disease. There was no significant difference in CA 15-3 levels among metastases to lung, liver, and bone nor was there any difference between single and multiple sites of distant metastasis. CA 15-3 is an excellent marker for systemic recurrence of breast carcinoma.

Conclusions. Increased levels and no clinical evidence of recurrence strongly indicate the presence of occult metastatic disease. Cancer 1992; 702831-4.