Unfortunately, as humanity, we have a curse we call cancer. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women and the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer overall. Let us remind you once again how important early detection is in breast cancer. Although CA 15-3 is associated with this type of cancer, it is not a value seen in the early diagnosis period.
CA 15-3 is a protein produced by cancer cells and is considered directly related to breast cancer. Different types of cancer can also create this protein, but it has been observed that different conditions and diseases that are not related to cancer also have an increasing effect on CA 15-3. So don’t worry right away. Let’s examine the questions like what is CA 15-3, why is the test done, what does the low and high mean in all details.
First of all, what is CA 15-3?
CA 15-3, which is encountered in blood tests, is a type of protein produced by cancerous cells in the human body and can be measured when mixed with the blood. It is also referred to as cancer antigen. The main producers of CA 15-3 protein are breast cancer cells, but there may also be an increase in CA 15-3 levels in lung, pancreatic, ovarian and prostate cancers. However, every CA 15-3 increase may not mean cancer.
Why is the CA 15-3 test done?
The blood CA 15-3 test is measured with a simple blood test, but it is not a standard measured value. Likewise, it is not used for early diagnosis because it is a protein that increases with the spread of cancer in the body. For this reason, the CA 15-3 test is mostly done in people who have been diagnosed with cancer and even started treatment, to follow the status of cancer and to see the responses of the treatment.
What should be the ideal CA 15-3 value, what is dangerous?
CA 15-3 is generally elevated in 9 percent of first-stage breast cancers and 19 percent of second breast cancers. A CA 15-3 value over 25 U/ml is considered high in blood test results. Of course, since this value is not a direct sign of cancer, it should be supported by different tests.
If CA 15-3 is high, is it cancer?
CA 15-3 elevation is seen in only 31 percent of breast cancer patients, and since other diseases will also cause this increase, it is not considered cancer or dangerous unless it is supported by different tests. Therefore, do not worry unless your blood test results are evaluated by a specialist physician and a definitive diagnosis is made.
What causes CA 15-3 elevation?
- Cancer types that cause CA 15-3 elevation;
- breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- pancreatic cancer
- ovarian cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Other conditions that cause CA 15-3 elevation;
- Pregnancy
- chronic liver disease
- Benign breast tumors
- urinary infections
- acute pancreatitis
Cancer types and other conditions that increase the CA 15-3 value in the blood are generally like this. It is obvious that there is a direct relationship between CA 15-3 and cancer, but if we consider that even situations such as pregnancy increase this value, it is obvious that every CA 15-3 elevation does not mean cancer. Keep in mind that many more tests are needed to make a definitive diagnosis of cancer.
What is CA 15-3 low?
In fact, there is no such thing as low CA 15-3. In people who do not have any disease, CA 15-3 level is between normal values. If there is a previously diagnosed cancer or other disease, the CA 15-3 level has increased and, fortunately, because the treatment worked, the CA 15-3 dropped to within the normal range.
How to downgrade CA 15-3?
Unfortunately, if your CA 15-3 level is high, there is no self-healing method to lower it. After the cause of CA 15-3 elevation is found, your doctor will follow an appropriate treatment method for the disease. What you need to do is to strictly comply with this treatment in line with the recommendations of your doctor.
What does CA 15-3 height mean in men?
Even though it is a less common condition, breast cancer is also seen in men and a high CA 15-3 may indicate this. However, in most cases, the reason for the high CA 15-3 value in men is prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. However, since there may be different diseases that can cause this condition, the diagnosis should be made by a specialist physician.
Brief information about CA 15-3:
- CA 15-3, which is a glycoprotein structure, is a membrane protein.
- CA 15-3 is encoded in the MUC-1 gene.
- It is used in the diagnosis and follow-up of breast cancer.
- As the level of CA 15-3 in the body increases, the cancer progresses.
- CA 15-3 sees the highest levels when the cancer has reached the bone and liver.
- CA 15-3 does not increase in early stage breast cancer, so it is not used in early diagnosis.
- Even if there is a direct relationship between CA 15-3 and breast cancer, it may not be elevated in every patient.
- It should not be forgotten that there are other diseases that increase the CA 15-3 value.
What you need to know about breast cancer:
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. In most cases, breast cancer can develop even in the absence of a risk factor. The main reason for this is long-term exposure to the hormone estrogen.
Early menopause, late menopause, absence of pregnancy, late first birth, lack of breastfeeding, oral contraceptive pills, hormone replacement therapy and obesity; It is considered a risk factor for breast cancer in women. A family history of cancer is also a risk factor, but only 5 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are genetic.
Every woman should know the symptoms of breast cancer because early detection saves lives. Symptoms such as change in breast size, swelling, skin thickening, nipple discharge, inversion, shrinkage and cupping of the breast when you raise the arms above the head, and swelling in the armpit are the most common. The breast should be checked regularly and even in the slightest doubt, the nearest health institution should be visited and a specialist physician should be examined.
We answered questions such as what is CA 15-3, which tends to increase with the development of breast cancer, and what does its low and high mean. What we describe is for informational purposes only. As with all health issues, remember that you should get the most accurate and specific information about your CA 15-3 value from a specialist physician.
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