Clinical value of preoperative CEA and CA15-3 in breast cancer

Objective:To investigate the value of preoperative carbohydrate carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) and antigen 15-3(CA 15-3) in the early diagnosis of breast cancer and the association between tumor markers and clinicopathological parameters.Methods: We retrospectively studied CEA,CA15-3 and clinical pathological factors of 1028 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2005.Results: Increased CEA and CA 15-3 concentrations were found in 9.5% and 15.3% of the patients,respectively,and 1 or both tumor markers were only increased in 20.9%.Tumor marker measurements can contribute usefully to early detection the site of distant metastatic disease,1 or both tumor markers concentrations were increased in liver,bone and lung distant metastatic disease with 86.7%,90.9%,45.5%(P=0.030),respectively.The sensitivity of CEA and CA 15-3 concentrations of detection of metastatic site was no significant different(all P0.05).Increased lerll in each tumor marker correlated with clinical stage,larger tumor sizes and nodal involvement(all P0.001).Increased CEA concentrations were significantly correlated with age 45 years old,postmenopausal,ER-negative,PR-negative,Her-2 positive(all P0.05).Conclusion: Preoperative CEA and CA15-3 in the early diagnosis of breast cancer were lack of sensitivity,CEA and CA15-3 can be used as important prognostic factors in breast cancer.