Which tumor marker is used to monitor persons with breast cancer for recurrence of disease?

CA-15-3 is a tumor marker specifically associated with breast cancer and is utilized to monitor for recurrence of the disease. This marker is a mucin glycoprotein that can be detected in the blood, and elevated levels may indicate the presence of breast cancer or its recurrence after initial treatment.

In clinical practice, while CA-15-3 is not used for initial diagnosis, it plays a significant role in assessing treatment response and surveillance for recurrences in patients who have a history of breast cancer. It is important to note that elevated levels of CA-15-3 are not exclusive to breast cancer and can be seen in other conditions; however, its use in monitoring patients with a known history of breast cancer makes it a valuable tool in clinical oncology.

Other options, while related to cancer, do not serve the same purpose for breast cancer recurrence monitoring. For example, although cathepsin-D has been studied in relation to breast cancer, it is not routinely used for monitoring patients. The retinoblastoma gene is primarily associated with retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer, and the estrogen receptor is important for treatment decisions but not used as a direct marker for monitoring recurrence. Thus, CA-15-3 stands out as