Serum Tumor Markers in Breast Cancer: Are They of Clinical Value?(Minireview‪)‬

For many malignancies, serum tumor markers play an important role in patient management (1-5) (Table 1). In breast cancer, however, the role of serum markers is less well established. The most widely used serum markers in breast cancer are CA 15-3 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). [1] Less widely used markers include BR 27.29 (also known as CA27.29), tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and the shed form of HER-2 [Table 2; for a review, see Refs. (6-8)]. The potential uses of serum markers in breast cancer include aiding early diagnosis, determining prognosis, prospectively predicting response or resistance to specific therapies, surveillance after primary surgery, and monitoring therapy in patients with advanced disease. The aim of this review is to examine the role of serum tumor markers in the detection and management of patients with breast cancer. As CA 15-3 is the most widely used serum marker in breast cancer, most of the review will focus on it. Aiding Early Diagnosis