Alpha 1-acid glucoprotein in ovarian cancer with a reference to immunosuppressive acidic protein and cancer antigen 125.
Serum values of alpha 1-acid glucoprotein (alpha 1-AG) were measured by a radial immunodiffusion technique before the primary operation of 60 ovarian tumors and before the second-look laparotomy of 80 ovarian carcinomas. The results were compared with cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) measurements performed in the same samples by a radioimmunoassay or enzymeimmunoassay. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of the alpha 1-AG measurements were low both before the primary operation (37% and 31%, respectively) and the second-look operation (10% and 51%, respectively). Inversely, the CA 125 measurements before the primary operation demonstrated a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 93% and 81%, respectively. In the second-look group the corresponding CA 125 results were 41% and 62%, respectively. The specificity and positive predictive value of alpha 1-AG before the primary and the second-look operation were high and almost identical to those of CA 125 (93%-100%). All patients with increased alpha 1-AG values also had increased CA 125 levels. Alpha 1-AG cannot be distinguished from immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) by radial immunodiffusion technique. In conclusion, the alpha 1-AG analyses did not add new information to the CA 125 measurements. The use of alpha 1-AG (or IAP) as a tumor marker in ovarian cancer cannot be recommended.
Mogensen
O
O
Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
Mogensen
B
B
Jakobsen
A
A
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012086:Reoperation; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000032:analysis*
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins; C030193:immunosuppressive acidic protein