How do doctors test for metastatic disease?
There are several tests used to detect metastatic disease: Bone scans Chest X-ray CAT scan MRI scan PET scan Blood Tests/Tumor marker tests (Measure markers found in the blood that can be followed over time). Two such markers for breast cancer are CEA and CA 15-3. These markers tend to be elevated in women with metastatic breast cancer. However, because the tests are not very sensitive, they are not usually very useful for patients with early-stage breast cancers.
