Serum and peritoneal CA-125 levels as diagnostic test for endometriosis

Colacurci N, Nicola Colacurci, N Colacurci, Nicola Fortunato, Fortunato N, N Fortunato, P De Franciscis, Pasquale De Franciscis, Fratta M, M Fratta, Mario Fratta, Michèle Cioffi, M Cioffi, Zarcone R, Roberto Zarcone, R Zarcone, A Cardone, Cardone A, Antonio Cardone
European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology · 1996 · vol. 66(1) , pp. 41–43 · doi:10.1016/0301-2115(95)02372-0 · PMID:8735757 · W2011834278
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This study evaluated serum and peritoneal CA-125 levels as a diagnostic marker for endometriosis in women.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical utility of CA-125 in the diagnosis of endometriosis and to compare the sensitivity of the serum and the peritoneal test as indicator of disease.Study designPeritoneal fluid was obtained at laparoscopy. The quantitative determination of CA-125 in serum and in peritoneal fluid was performed by IRMA-mat CA-125 'two-step method', a two-site immunoradiometric assay, using 35 and 60 U/ml as cutoff.SettingSecond Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Second University of Naples, Italy.ParticipantsA total of 26 women infertile undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy that exhibited endometriosis in 14 patients, normal pelvis in 12 patients (control group).InterventionsNone.ResultsCA-125 levels in peritoneal fluid were higher than those found in serum and were significantly elevated (P < 0.05), when compared with the control group, both in women with endometriosis stage I-II and stage III-IV. In serum, CA-125 levels increased only in advanced stage of endometriosis.ConclusionsLevels of CA-125 in peritoneal fluid seem to be a more sensitive indicator of disease than serum levels (0.86 vs. 0.36), especially in early stage endometriosis (0.80 vs. 0.20) which tends to be overlooked by the CA-125 serum test.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Ascitic Fluid CA-125 Antigen Endometriosis Ascitic Fluid CA-125 Antigen CA-125 Antigen Case-Control Studies Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Predictive Value of Tests Reproducibility of Results Sensitivity and Specificity

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