1025. Tumor marker of mammary gland (CA 15-3)

CA 15-3 is a marker used to monitor the progression of breast cancer, assess treatment effectiveness, and detect recurrences or metastases. It is not recommended for initial diagnosis of the disease.

The CA 15-3 tumor marker is a protein produced by mammary epithelial cells. Its blood level may increase in breast carcinoma, especially in the advanced stages of the disease, as well as in other tumors (ovarian, pancreatic, and lung cancer), or certain benign conditions, such as mastopathy, cysts, liver cirrhosis, and pregnancy in the third trimester.

This test is used to:

• monitor the progression and effectiveness of breast cancer treatment;
• detect recurrences and metastases in patients with a confirmed diagnosis;
• differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions.

Isolation of this marker for the primary detection of breast cancer is not recommended due to its low sensitivity in the early stages. Results should be evaluated in combination with other markers (e.g., CEA) and clinical methods, such as mammography, ultrasound, or MRI.

• patients with a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer – to assess response to treatment or follow-up after surgery;
• monitoring the condition of patients after treatment – ​​to detect recurrences and metastases;
• women with a high cancer risk (heredity, BRCA1/2 mutations) – as part of comprehensive dynamic surveillance;
• benign breast diseases, when there is a need to differentiate them from oncologic processes (in combination with imaging methods).

• Venous blood

In order to exclude factors that may affect the test results, we recommend to follow the preparation rules: