title: Plasma and peritoneal fluid levels of CA 125 in women with endometriosis.
abstract: Determined by a sandwich, solid-phase radioimmunoassay with mouse monoclonal antibody, OC 125, plasma CA 125 levels were significantly elevated in stage III (mean +/- SEM = 32.7 +/- 5.2 U/ml, n = 17, p = less than 0.01) and stage IV endometriosis (37.2 +/- 10.5 U/ml, n = 6, p = less than 0.005) compared with levels during the follicular (15.9 +/- 1.5 U/ml, n = 12) and secretory phases (15.8 +/- 1.3 U/ml, n = 15) of control women and users of oral contraceptives (15.5 +/- 1.2 U/ml n = 10). However, CA 125 levels were not significantly elevated in women with stage I (16.6 +/- 2.0 U/ml, n = 28) or stage II endometriosis (17.9 +/- 2.1 U/ml, n = 13). Peritoneal fluid levels of CA 125 (n = 14) were significantly higher (2 to 9.3 times) than the corresponding paired plasma levels in participants with stage I, II, or III endometriosis. In patients treated with danazol (n = 10) or buserelin (n = 17), plasma CA 125 levels decreased significantly by midtherapy, remained suppressed at the end of therapy, but rebounded to near pretreatment levels 6 months after treatment was completed. With gestrinone therapy a similar decline was observed but became significant only at the end of therapy. Our findings indicate that elevated plasma CA 125 levels may prove useful in the management of endometriosis.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
authors: M Y
authors: MY
authors: Dawood
authors: F S
authors: FS
authors: Khan-Dawood
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Ramos
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D002064:Buserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D003613:Danazol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005867:Gestrinone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D000939:Epitopes; D005867:Gestrinone; D003613:Danazol; D002064:Buserelin