title: Serum CA-125 in women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain.
abstract: Since serum CA-125 concentrations are increased in women with endometriosis, the authors evaluated CA-125 levels to determine whether this serum test would be useful in differentiating between pelvic pain due to endometriosis and other causes. During a 30-month period, 163 women who had had pelvic pain for at least 3 months had a CA-125 level obtained prior to surgery. Serum CA-125 was measured by an immunoradiometric assay. Of the 82 women with endometriosis, 66 (80%) had CA-125 concentrations greater than or equal to 16 U/ml (95% upper limit). The frequencies of elevated levels in minimal, mild, moderate, and severe endometriosis were 52, 86, 100, and 100%, respectively. Of the 81 women without endometriosis, 5 (6%) had elevated concentrations. With the use of serum CA-125 determinations for the detection of endometriosis, the sensitivity was 80%, the specificity was 94%, and the accuracy was 93% when the prevalence of endometriosis was 50%. The authors conclude that determination of CA-125 levels may assist in the evaluation and treatment of women with chronic pelvic pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Pittaway
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010388:Pelvis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate