Prognostic Impact of Elevation of Cancer Antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) in Patients With Early Breast Cancer With Normal Serum CA15-3 Level
Jai Min Ryu, Danbee Kang, Juhee Cho, Jeong Eon Lee, Seok Won Kim, Seok Jin Nam, Se Kyung Lee, Yeon Jin Kim, Young‐Hyuck Im, Jin Seok Ahn, Yeon Hee Park, Ji‐Yeon Kim, Hyunjong Lee, Mira Kang, Jong Han Yu
Abstract
PURPOSE: Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a serum tumor marker for breast cancer (BC) extensively used in clinical practice. CA15-3 is non-invasive, easily available, and a cost-effective tumor marker for immediate diagnosis, monitoring and prediction of BC recurrence. We hypothesized that an elevation of CA15-3 may have prognostic impact in patients with early BC with normal serum CA15-3 level. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study, which included patients with BC who received curative surgery at a comprehensive single institution between 2000 and 2016. CA15-3 levels from 0 to 30 U/mL were considered normal, and patients who had CA15-3 > 30 U/mL, were excluded from the study. RESULTS: -value for interaction < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrated that elevation of CA15-3 in patients with early BC and initial normal serum CA15-3 levels has a prognostic impact.