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Circulating Tumor Markers for Breast Cancer Management

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Molecular Pathology of Breast Cancer

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Abstract

Many patients with early stage cancers will go on to develop metastases. Blood based tests for circulating tumor markers can provide an invaluable minimally invasive method for assessing tumor and monitoring patients. Several markers are purported to be available for this purpose. These include some newer biomarkers such as tissue polypeptide antigens and serum autoantibodies against tumor associated antigens. In this chapter, we critically evaluate the available markers and describe their advantages and more importantly their limitations. A thorough review of the data available for these biomarkers leads us to conclude that sufficient evidence exists for the use of CEA, CA15-3, CA27.29 in metastatic breast cancers. However, none of the biomarkers are suitable for routine use in patients with early stage breast cancer. Novel blood based-biomarkers are urgently required to monitor patients with early stage breast cancer and predict the long-term outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Dhivya Prabhakar

  2. Diana Hyland Chair in Breast Cancer, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospitals—Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Lyndsay Harris

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  1. Dhivya Prabhakar
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Correspondence to Dhivya Prabhakar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

    Sunil Badve

  2. Indiana University School of Medicine, Dept of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

    Yesim Gökmen-Polar

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Prabhakar, D., Harris, L. (2016). Circulating Tumor Markers for Breast Cancer Management. In: Badve, S., Gökmen-Polar, Y. (eds) Molecular Pathology of Breast Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41761-5_14

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