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cancer antigen CA 15-3 in serum
Indications:
- assessment of metastatic breast cancer
Contraindications:
- not indicated for early-stage breast cancer [3]
Reference interval:
- < 30 arbitrary units
Clinical significance:
- serum levels are increased in about 80% of patients with metastatic breast cancer
- may be useful to predict recurrence of disease & to evaluate response to therapy
- most useful when used in combination with serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
Sensitivity: 0.60
Specificity: 0.87
Predictive value of a positive test: 0.91
Increases:
- metastatic breast cancer ~80%
Method:
- IRMA
Specimen: (specimen requirements)
1) serum or plasma
2) stable up to 5 days at 2-8 degrees C
3) for longer periods, store at -20 degrees C (avoid repetitive freeze-thaw cycles)
Procedure:
-> the test uses two antibodies
a) 115D8 raised against antigens of human milk fat globule membranes
b) DF3 raised against a membrane-enriched fraction from a human breast cancer cell line
Notes:
- antigen of mucin-type high molecular weight glycoprotein
- localized to apical side of alveoli & ducts of mammary glands
- also present as a circulating antigen
Related
breast cancer
General
cancer antigen CA 15-3 in body fluid
References
- Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, 3rd ed. Teitz ed.,
W.B. Saunders, 1995
- Cancer Antigen-Breast (CA15-3)
Laboratory Test Directory ARUP: 80464
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 19
Board Basics. An Enhancement to MKSAP19.
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2022