CLINICAL-VALUE OF SERUM TUMOR-MARKERS TPA, TPS, TAG-12, CA-15-3 AND MCA IN BREAST-CANCER DIAGNOSIS - RESULTS FROM A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical value of five serum t umour markers, TPA, TPS, TAG 12, CA 15-3 and MCA, in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The serum values were measured in a prospective series of patients with breast cancer (n=82) and benign breast disease (n=25) . The cut-off levels (90% specificity) determined for each test were 1 09.0 U/1 for TPA, 156.0 U/1 for TPS, 52.5 kU/1 cut-off level for TAG 1 2 and 24.9 kU/1 cut-off level for CA 15-3, and at the 12.0 kU/1 cut-of f level for MCA. Using these cut-off levels the diagnostic sensitivity of the TPA test was 0.23, for the TPS test 0.15, 0.44 for the TAG it test, 0.13 for the CA 15-3 rest and 0.10 for the MCA rest in detecting breast cancer. When the cut-off levels were determined at 95th percen tile level for each test, the cut-off level for TPA was 143.0 U/1, 279 .0 U/1 cut-off level for TPS, 105.0 kU/1 cut-off level for TAG 12 and 36.7 kU/1 cut-off level for CA 15-3, and at the 15.3 kU/1 cut-off leve l for MCA. Using these cut-off levels the diagnostic sensitivity of th e TPA test was 01.2, 0.01 for the TPS test, 0.06 for the TA G 12 rest, 0.06 for the CA 15-3 lest and 0.06 for the MCA test in detecting brea st cancer. The correlation coefficients in breast cancer patients betw een TPA and TPS measurements was 0.82, between TPA and TAG 12 measurem ents it was 0.09, between TPA and CA 15-3 measurements it was 0.08, an d 0.11 between TPA and MCA measurements. Noite of the serum markers st udied were sigtlificant predictors in breast cancel diagnosis in a log istic regression analysis or in the discriminant analysis. Thus it see ms that TPA, TPS, TAG 12, CA 15-3 and MCA have only limited value in b reast cancer diagnosis, brit their role in the follow-up and predictio n of prognosis of breast cancer patients is a subject for further inve stigation.