Biomaterial Database

Comparison of CA15-3 and carcinoembryonic antigen in monitoring the clinical course of patients with metastatic breast cancer. 1988

C Tondini, and D F Hayes, and R Gelman, and I C Henderson, and D W Kufe

Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.

Fifty-three women with metastatic breast cancer and serial plasma samples were selected to study the correlation between disease course and variations in circulating CA15-3 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. Forty-nine patients had their first sample drawn at the beginning of therapy, while four patients did not receive any treatment during the period of study. Clinical course was scored as progressive disease (PD), responsive disease (RD), and stable disease on the basis of radiological and physical evaluations. The percentage of variation in antigen level between the initial sample and samples drawn at the time of the clinical evaluation was correlated with clinical course. CA15-3 levels above 22.0 units/ml and CEA levels above 3.0 ng/ml were considered elevated values. Antigen levels that increased greater than or equal to 25% and decreased greater than or equal to 25% from the initial value were considered to correlate with PD and RD, respectively. Variations in antigen levels +/- 25% from the initial value were considered to correlate with stable disease. Significantly more patients had elevated circulating levels of CA15-3 than CEA (96.2 versus 69.8%; P less than 0.01) at some point in the course of disease. Overall, CA15-3 correlated with disease progression, regression, or stability in a higher number of patients than CEA (60.3 versus 39.6%; P = 0.02). CA15-3 increased greater than or equal to 25% more often than CEA in patients with PD (75.0 versus 58.3%) and decreased greater than or equal to 25% more often than CEA in patients with RD (38.1 versus 23.8%). In a logistic regression model, changes in CA15-3 levels correlated significantly with both PD (P = 0.0004) and RD (P = 0.02), while changes in CEA levels did not (PD, P = 0.34; RD, P = 0.92). Furthermore, correlations obtained when using both antigens together failed to improve the results obtained with CA15-3 alone. The present study thus demonstrates that CA15-3 is more useful than CEA in monitoring the clinical course of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008593	Menopause	The last menstrual period. Permanent cessation of menses (MENSTRUATION) is usually defined after 6 to 12 months of AMENORRHEA in a woman over 45 years of age. In the United States, menopause generally occurs in women between 48 and 55 years of age.	Change of Life, Female
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D002272	Carcinoembryonic Antigen	A glycoprotein that is secreted into the luminal surface of the epithelia in the gastrointestinal tract. It is found in the feces and pancreaticobiliary secretions and is used to monitor the response to colon cancer treatment.	Antigens, CD66e,CD66e Antigen,Antigen, CD66e,Antigen, Carcinoembryonic,CD66e Antigens
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000465	Algorithms	A procedure consisting of a sequence of algebraic formulas and/or logical steps to calculate or determine a given task.	Algorithm
D000951	Antigens, Neoplasm	Proteins, glycoprotein, or lipoprotein moieties on surfaces of tumor cells that are usually identified by monoclonal antibodies. Many of these are of either embryonic or viral origin.	Neoplasm Antigens,Tumor Antigen,Tumor Antigens,Antigen, Tumor,Antigens, Tumor
D015295	Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate	Carbohydrate antigens expressed by malignant tissue. They are useful as tumor markers and are measured in the serum by means of a radioimmunoassay employing monoclonal antibodies.	Antigens, Carbohydrate, Tumor-Associated,CA Antigens,Cancer-Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Carbohydrate Antigens, Tumor-Associated,Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Antigen, Carcinoma-Associated,CA Antigen,CA(Oxford) Antigen,Carcinoma-Associated Antigen,Epitectin,Antigen, CA,Antigen, Carcinoma Associated,Antigens, CA,Antigens, Cancer-Associated Carbohydrate,Antigens, Tumor-Associated Carbohydrate,Cancer Associated Carbohydrate Antigens,Carbohydrate Antigens, Cancer-Associated,Carbohydrate Antigens, Tumor Associated,Carcinoma Associated Antigen,Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigens