Serum level of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 in patients with interstitial lung diseases and its correlation with pulmonary function and high-resolution computed tomography

Background Carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a central protein core of mucin-1, a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein, found in alveolar and extrapulmonary epithelial cells that increases in interstitial lung disease. It uses antibodies against different epitopes. It is also considered a tumor marker for breast cancer. Aim The aim was to evaluate the value of CA15-3 as a biomarker in patients with interstitial lung diseases and to evaluate the correlation between CA15-3 level and radiological findings in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Materials and methods The study was performed on 60 adult patients with ILD and 20 healthy controls. We classified the patients into three groups according to HRCT findings: group I ground glass (18 patients), group II reticulation (27 patients), and group III honeycombing (15 patients). All patients were subjected to HRCT, spirometry, collagen markers, and serum CA15-3 level evaluation. Results CA15-3 level in patients with ILD was significantly higher than control ( P