title: An initial analysis of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with early stage ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Preoperative serum CA 125 levels were determined for 36 patients with Stage I and II ovarian carcinoma. Levels ranged from 9 to 1962 U/ml with a mean of 216 U/ml. In Stage I patients, CA 125 levels averaged 133 U/ml and in Stage II patients 382 U/ml. Nine of 24 Stage I (38%) and 9 of 12 Stage II patients (75%) had CA 125 levels in excess of 65 U/ml in a population somewhat overrepresented in mucinous tumors. Patients with non-mucinous neoplasms had CA 125 elevations more often--in 75% of the cases--than those with mucinous tumors. A larger study will be required to more precisely estimate the fraction of early stage patients with elevated preoperative serum CA 125 levels; however, this investigation demonstrates an assay sensitivity minimally adequate to initiate a pilot evaluation of serum CA 125 levels in a population at risk for ovarian carcinoma.
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D000939:Epitopes