Serum levels of serum tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) were compared with levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 15.3 with regards to their clinical values in Chinese breast cancer patients. A total of 81 patients were recruited and followed-up prospectively for disease recurrence and death. The median of follow-up was 33.1 months. CEA and CA15.3 correlated with the prognostic factors associated with poor prognosis. CA15.3 was associated with disease-free survival and overall survival. Multivariate analyses showed that the pre-operational serum CA15.3 level was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. However, TPS was associated with neither prognostic factors nor patient survival. In conclusion, TPS is not a good serum tumor marker for breast cancer of Chinese patients, compared with CEA and CA 15.3.