Correlation between serum CA15-3 level and the molecular subtypes of metastatic breast cancer / 肿瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the correlation between serum CA15-3 level and the molecular subtypes of metastatic breast cancer. Methods: A total of 268 patients diagnosed as having metastatic breast cancer in Hubei Cancer Hospital were recruited in this study. The serum CA15-3 level was examined by immunoradiometric assay, and the expression levels of ER (estrogen receptor), PR (progesterone receptor) and HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) were detected by immunohistochemistry and FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization). The 268 patients were classified into 3 groups according to hormone receptor status: luminal subtype (ER-positive irrespective of HER-2-positive/negative and PR-positive/negative), HER-2 over-expression subtype (ER-negative/PR-negative/HER-2-positive) and basal-like subtype (ER-negative/PR-negative/HER-2-negative). The serum CA15-3 level and its elevation among freguency three subtypes of metastatic breast cancer were compared. Results: The average level of CA15-3 was significantly different among the three subtypes. The average level of CA15-3 in luminal subtype (96 U/mL) was significantly higher than those in HER-2 overexpression subtype (52 U/mL) and basal-like subtype (72 U/mL) (P = 0.017). The frequency of elevation of serum CA15-3 level in patients with luminal subtype (80.8%) was much higher than those in patients with HER-2 over-expression subtype (55.6%) and basal-like subtype (68.6%) (P = 0.002). Compared to other metastasis, the mean level of CA15-3 and the incidence of CA15-3 elevation were higher in patients with bone metastasis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The serum CA15-3 level in patients with luminal subtype of metastatic breast cancer is obviously increased, and the frequency of elevation of serum CA15-3 level is also significantly higher. It is suggested that the detection of serum CA15-3 is more valuable in the surveillance of recurrence and metastasis luminal subtype of ER-positive of breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 by TUMOR.