Human Reproduction vol.7 no. 1 pp.35—38, 1992 Peripheral CA 125 levels in patients with uterine fibroids

'To whom correspondence should be addressed CA 125, a marker of ovarian cancer, is also increased in otherwise normal women suffering from, for example, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis and adenomyosis. The tissues suspected of producing CA 125 in normal women include the endometrhim, the ovary and the peritoneum. This study was based on the hypothesis that uterine myomata would distend the peritoneum covering the uterus and thereby increase the peripheral levels of CA 125. To verify this hypothesis we measured CA 125 by an immunoradiometric assay in eight normal women every second day throughout the cycle and in 26 women with uterine fibroids before and after hysterectomy and at 8 and 12 weeks during gonado-trophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue therapy. In normal women no difference was observed between CA 125 levels in the follicular phase or in the hiteal phase of the cycle. Over one-third (10/26) of the patients with uterine fibroids had increased (>90th centile of the controls) levels of CA 125 before GnRH therapy or hysterectomy. Removal of the uterus or administration of GnRH significantly decreased peripheral concentrations of CA 125 to levels below those observed in normal women. Furthermore, a significant positive correla-tion was observed between the levels of CA 125 and the volume of myomata as assessed by ultrasound. We conclude that in those cases of uterine fibroids where CA 125 is increased, monitoring this parameter during GnRH therapy is a good indirect measurement of regression of myomata. Key words: CA 125/uterine fibroids/GnRH therapy versus hysterectomy