Mumtaz Begum, Rukhashan Khurshid, Ghazala Ruby, Saleem Akhtar.
Breast cancer; evaluation of CA 15-3 serum levels.
Professional Med J Jan ;13(3):338-40.

Introduction: CA 15.3 is a useful parameter in the management of patients in different stages of the breast cancer. Objectives: (1) To evaluate the level of CA 15-3 in stage III carcinoma of breast. (2) To study the role of immunoglobulin G and cathepsin D. Patients & Methods: Serum CA 15-3 was assayed in a group of 25 female breast cancer patients with stage III. Method used for determination of CA 15-3 is IMMULITE Automated Immunoassay System. Result: 25 patients were taken in the study. It was observed that the level of CA 15-3 and cathepsin D is significantly increased in patients as compared to control subjects. Although the level of IgG was also increased but it shows no significant difference. Conclusion: It is concluded that CA 15-3 can be used as tumor marker especially in the 3rd stage of breast cancer and also for monitoring the treatment. IgG shows the role of body defense mechanism system in breast cancer. Whereas protease like cathepsin D shows the extent of metastasis.

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