The management of metastatic breast cancer patients reflects the heterogeneous nature of the disease. While patients may benefit from hormonal treatment, in most cases more toxic chemotherapy is applied in the advanced stages. The pretreatment levels of TPS in patients with metastatic breast cancer are correlated with prognosis. Decreasing TPS levels (>50%) during treatment are indicative of response. The fastest decrease in TPS levels is obtained in patients with a favorable prognosis. Increasing TPS levels (>25%) predict disease progression with a considerable lead time (median 8 months). The clinical impact of these observations is discussed in this paper.
LamerzR., LeonhardtA., EhrhardtH., von LievenH.Serial carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) determinations in the management of metastatic breast cancer.Oncodev Biol Med1980; 1: 123–35.
2.
GionM.Serum markers in breast cancer management.The Breast1992; 1: 173–8.
3.
GeraghtyJ.G., CoveneyE.C., SherryF., O'HigginsN.J., DuffyM.J.CA 15-3 in patients with locoregional and metastatic breast carcinoma.Cancer1992; 70: 2831–4.
4.
MolinaR., ZanonG., FillelaX.Use of serial carcinoembryonic antigen and CA 15-3 assays in detecting relapses in breast cancer patients.Breast Cancer Res Treat1995; 36: 41–8.
5.
RydlanderL., ZieglerE., BergmanT.Molecular characterization of a tissue-polypeptide-specific-antigen epitope and its relationship to human cytokeratin 18.Eur J Biochem1996; 241: 309–14.
6.
van DalenA.TPS in breast cancer- A comparative study with carcinoembryonic antigen and CA 15-3.Tumor Biol1992; 13: 10–7.
7.
van DalenA., van der LindeD.L., HeeringK.J., Blusse van OudAlblasA.How can treatment response be measured in breast cancer patients?Anticancer Res1993; 13: 1901–4.
8.
SchuurmanJ.J., BongS.B., EinarssonR.Determination of serum tumor markers TPS and CA 15-3 during monitoring of treatment in metastatic breast cancer patients.Anticancer Res1996; 16: 2169–72.
9.
BlijlevensN.M.A., OosterhuisW.P., OostenH.R., MulderN.H.Clinical value of TPS, CEA and CA 15-3 in breast cancer patients.Anticancer Res1995; 15: 2711–6.
10.
HaywoardtJ.L., CarboneP.P., HeusonJ-C, KumaokaS., SegaloffA., RubensR.D.Assessment of response to therapy in advanced breast cancer.Eur J Cancer1977; 13: 89–94.
11.
NgJ.S.Y., SturgeonC.M., SethJ., PatersonG.M., RoulstonJ.E., LeonardR.C.F.Serological markers for metastatic breast cancer.Dis Markers1993; 11: 217–23.
12.
NicoliniA., FerdeghiniM., ColizziC.Evaluation of CEA, TPA, CA 15-3, CA 549 and TPS in the monitoring of metastatic breast cancer.J Nucl Biol Med1993; 37: 126–33.
13.
GiaiM., RoagnaR., PonzoneR. TPS and CA 15-3 serum values as a guide for treating and monitoring breast cancer patients.Anticancer Res1996; 16: 875–82.
14.
BarakV., NismanB., RoismanI. TPS in assessing response to therapy and prognosis of breast cancer patients treated with interferons.J Tumor Marker Oncol1997; 12: 17–25.
15.
van DalenA., HeeringK.J., BarakV.Treatment response in metastatic breast cancer. A multicentre study comparing UICC criteria and tumour marker changes.The Breast1996; 5: 82–8.
16.
van DalenA., BarakV., CremaschiA. The prognostic significance of increasing marker levels in metastatic breast cancer patients with clinically complete remission, partial remission or stable disease.Int J Biol Markers1998; 13: 10–5.
17.
StigbrandT., AndresC., BellangerL.Epitope specificity of 30 monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin antigens: The ISOBM TD5-1 workshop.Tumor Biol1998; 19: 132–52.
18.
Special article: Clinical practice guidelines for the use of tumor markers in breast cancer and colorectal cancer.J Clin Oncol1996; 10: 2843–77.
19.
BonfrerJ.M.G.Working Group on Tumor Marker Criteria (WGTMC).Tumor Biol1990; 11: 278–88.
20.
van DalenA.Quality control and standardization of tumor marker tests.Tumor Biol1993; 14: 131–5.
21.
van DalenA.Analytical requirements and standardization of CA 15-3.Scand J Clin Lab Invest1995; 55(Suppl. 221): 102–4.
