The clinical significance of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3)

        It has certain value in the auxiliary diagnosis of breast cancer.

1. Screening
        Serum CA15-3 is generally not used for breast cancer screening in asymptomatic people.

2. Auxiliary diagnosis
        ① Serum CA15-3 is an indicator mainly used for the auxiliary diagnosis of breast cancer, but the positive rate of early breast cancer is low, and the positive rate of advanced breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer is higher, ranging from 70% to 80%. The combined detection of CA15-3 and CEA can improve the sensitivity of breast cancer diagnosis.
        ② Serum CA15-3 also has varying degrees of positive rates in other malignant tumors, such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, and colon cancer.
        ③ Serum CA15-3 can also increase to varying degrees in benign diseases such as the liver, gastrointestinal tract, lung, breast, ovary, etc., but the positive percentage is low.

3. Prognosis assessment
        Serum CA15-3 is generally not used to judge the prognosis of breast cancer.

4. Efficacy and recurrence monitoring
        ① Serum CA15-3, together with imaging examination and clinical physical examination, can be used to monitor the treatment response of breast cancer patients. The continuous increase in the concentration of CA15-3 indicates disease progression.
        ② Serum CA15-3 is not routinely used for breast cancer recurrence and metastasis monitoring. However, for those with elevated serum CA15-3 before surgery, CA15-3 can be used for follow-up and monitoring after surgery.