Ali Taghizadeh - Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Leila Pourali - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mona Joudi - Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Maryam Salehi - Department of Socio-Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Shohreh Eshghi - Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Farnaz Torabian - Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran
Azin Esmaeelpour - Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

Background: Cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ and carcinoembryonic antigen are used in clinical and laboratory diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. Previous studies have noted conflicting results about the association between carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ in metastatic breast cancer. The present study examined serum tumor marker levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ among patients with different subtypes of metastatic breast cancer.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed metastatic breast cancer patients diagnosed between ۲۰۰۵ and ۲۰۱۲ who referred to academic Hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The patients were selected by systematic randomization sampling. Demographic, clinical, pathological, and therapeutic data were collected from patients’ hospital records. Statistical analyses were performed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version ۱۶.۰ software.Results: A total of ۲۹۸ eligible patients enrolled in the study. Patients’ median age was ۴۸.۳۹±۱۲.۵۷ years. Elevated serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen were identified in ۶۵.۱۷% of patients and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ in ۵۷.۲۹% of patients. Based on molecular subtype categorization, ۱۰۹ (۳۹.۵%) patients were human epidermal growth factor receptor ۲ negative and ۱۰۵ (۳۸.۰%) patients were in the luminal group. There was no significant correlation between serum carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ with subtypes of the tumor. The most common sites for metastasis were bones and liver, respectively. However, there was no significant correlation between serum carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ with the site of metastasis. There was a significant association between serum carcinoembryonic antigen level and stages IIA and IV.Conclusion: One of the most significant findings of the current study was the increased serum carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ levels in most metastatic breast cancer participants. We postulate that regular measurement of serum cancer antigen ۱۵-۳ and carcinoembryonic antigen could be useful for earlier detection and prediction of outcomes.