CA-125 in fine-needle aspirates of solid tumors: comparison with cytologic diagnosis and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay.
One hundred and twenty-two fine needle aspirates (FNA) from female patients were studied to determine whether CA-125 assay contributed to cytologic diagnosis and CEA assay. Cytologic examination was done on Papanicolaou-stained smears and cell blocks, CEA by EIA (Abbott Laboratory, > 5 ng/ml cutoff) and CA-125 by RIA (Abbott Laboratory, North Chicago, IL, > 66 mu/ml cutoff). Final diagnosis were correlated with histologic diagnosis when available, clinical, radiologic studies, and follow-up.


RESULTS
29 benign, 93 malignant. Sensitivities and specificities: cytology, 91%, 100%; CEA: 59%, 86%; CA-125, 50%, 55%. CEA plus cytology sensitivity, 97%. CA-125 content was highest in endometrial/ovarian carcinoma (39,899 mu/ml) and < 5,000 mu/ml in other tumors and benign FNA in contrast to CEA which showed highest levels in carcinomas of colon, pancreas, and lung (> 280 ng/ml). While elevated CEA enhances the sensitivity of cytologic diagnosis of carcinomas of the colon, pancreas, and lung, low CEA and high CA-125 content supports an ovarian/endometrial primary.
Pinto
M M
MM
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital, CT 06610, USA.
Kotta
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen