Consensus of the Spanish society of laboratory medicine and the Spanish society of medical oncology on the methodology and criteria for evaluation of circulating tumour markers in breast cancer

Abstract

The measurement of circulating tumour markers (TMs) for the diagnosis or monitoring of breast cancer has sometimes been considered of limited utility. In addition to the overinterpretation of irrelevant changes in marker levels, the characteristics of the patient, the disease or other pathologies that can modify them are often not considered in their evaluation. On the other hand, there are recent data on the relationship of TMs with molecular subtypes and on their prognostic value, the knowledge of which may improve their clinical utility. This consensus article arises from a collaboration between the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQC^ML) and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). It aims to improve the use and interpretation of circulating TMs in breast cancer. The text summarizes the current knowledge and available evidence on the subject and proposes a series of recommendations mainly focussed on the indication, the frequency of testing and the factors that should be considered for correctly interpreting changes in the levels of TMs.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Breast neoplasms; Carcinoembryonic antigen; Tumor suppressor; p53.

Fig. 1

Example of changes in the levels of a tumour marker in the case of a benign (blue line) or malignant tumour (red line)