title: The ratio between carcinoma antigen-125 levels in the seminal plasma and serum may be a marker for fertilization in intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between tumor marker carcinoma antigen-125 levels in seminal plasma and serum and fertilization rates in an IVF program, using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  IVF Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five infertile patients with severe oligo-terato-asthenospermia syndrome and 25 fertile male donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and seminal plasma carcinoma antigen-125 concentrations and fertilization rate per cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the infertile group, the seminal plasma carcinoma antigen-125 levels ranged from 22.0 to 1,284.0 U/mL (mean level +/- SD, 229.9 +/- 274.2 U/mL). In the normospermic fertile male donors, the seminal plasma carcinoma antigen-125 concentrations ranged from 12.2 to 336.7 U/mL (mean level +/- SD, 110.1 +/- 91.6 U/mL). This difference was statistically significant. The mean +/- SD ratio between the seminal plasma/serum carcinoma antigen-125 levels differed significantly between the infertile group (47.9 +/- 61.3) and the fertile male donors (5.7 +/- 3.5). In the infertile group, the ratio between the seminal plasma/serum carcinoma antigen-125 levels was found to be negatively correlated with the oocyte fertilization rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ratio between carcinoma antigen-125 levels in the seminal plasma and serum may be an indirect marker for male infertility and fertilization rate in IVF treatment using ICSI.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Geva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arava
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lerner-Geva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hareuveni
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lessing
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ballas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018394:CA-125 Antigen