What is cancer antigen 15-3 used for?

Answer 1

Rarely increased in women with early breast cancer, it may be used to detect recurrence of cancer in women following treatment or mastectomy and to monitor treatment for women with advanced Breast cancer.

Answer 2

Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) is a protein produced by cells in response to changes occurring in the body. It is mainly made by breast cancer cells, but can also be elevated in some other cancers like lung cancer and ovarian cancer.

Main uses of CA 15-3:

Monitoring breast cancer:

In patients with diagnosed breast cancer, CA 15-3 is used to:

Monitor the effectiveness of treatment: Decreasing levels after treatment suggest a positive response, while rising levels may indicate tumor recurrence or progression.

Guide treatment decisions: High levels may help guide the need for further treatment or a change in treatment course.

In patients with a high risk of breast cancer, but not yet diagnosed, CA 15-3 may be used in conjunction with other tests to aid in diagnosis if levels are significantly elevated.

Less common uses:

Monitoring other cancers: While not as common as for breast cancer, CA 15-3 levels may be monitored in some cases of lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and Cervical cancer to assess treatment response or tumor progression.

Diagnosing non-cancerous conditions: While primarily used for cancer, elevated CA 15-3 levels can also occur in some non-cancerous conditions like liver disease, cirrhosis, and certain inflammatory conditions. However, diagnosis should not be based solely on CA 15-3 levels and other tests will be necessary.

Important things to remember:

CA 15-3 is not a standalone diagnostic test for cancer.

Elevated CA 15-3 levels can be caused by various factors, not just cancer.

Interpretation of CA 15-3 results should always be done in conjunction with other clinical information and tests.

CA 15-3 is most relevant for monitoring breast cancer treatment and progression.