[Standards, Options and Recommendations (SOR) for tumor markers in breast cancer. SOR Working Group]

The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the 20 French Cancer Centres and specialists from French Public Universities, General Hospitals and Private Clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and outcome for cancer patients. The methodology is based on literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery.

To define, according to the definitions of the Standards, Options and Recommendations project, the characteristics of various tumour markers in breast cancer and the potential role of these markers in the management of patients with this malignancy.

Data were identified by searching Medline and the personal reference lists of members of the expert groups. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to 43 independent reviewers, and to the medical committees of the 20 French Cancer Centres.

The main recommendations are: 1) CA 15.3 and CEA are the serum tumour markers most often used in breast cancer (standard). 2) If the CA 15.3 is raised at presentation, there is no place for the measurement of other tumour markers (standard, expert agreement). 3) All analyses for each patient must be performed in the same laboratory, using the same technique (standard, expert agreement). 4) CA 15.3 should not be used for screening or diagnosis. 5) The level of CA 15.3 before treatment is a recognised prognostic factor, the independent value of which has not been proven (standard, level of evidence C). 6) If the initial value of CA 15.3 is greater than 50 kU.L(-1), disseminated disease should be actively sought before any treatment decisions are made (standard, expert agreement). 7) An initial elevation of CA 15.3 that does not return to normal, reflects a lack of response to treatment and is a strong adverse prognostic factor (standard, level of evidence C). 8) The accuracy of tumours markers (especially CA 15.3) as early indicators of metastatic disease is well recognised (standard) but the clinical benefit has not been established. 9) There is a correlation between tumour markers and clinical response in the treatment of metastatic disease (level of evidence C). The level of CA 15.3 in metastatic disease does not predict response to treatment.