CA 549 is also a marker for breast and ovarian carcinoma.
- CA 549 lacks the sensitivity and specificity to serve as an effective screening tool.
- CA 549 is also elevated in some pregnancies, in benign breast disease, and in liver disease.
- Some ovarian, lung, and even prostate cancers may elevate CA 549 levels.
- Similar to CA 15-3, CA 549 has limited utility in detecting early breast carcinoma, due to the low prevalence of individuals with elevated CA 549 during the early stages of breast cancer.9
- CA 549 has strong utility as an indicator of recurrence of breast cancer after previous successful treatment to reduce tumor growth.
- An increasing level of CA 549 after previous successful attempts to decrease or stabilize tumor growth parallels the redevelopment or increasing growth of a breast carcinoma.9
