Serum CA 125 level as a predictor of peritoneal dissemination in patients with gastric carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Prediction of peritoneal dissemination is very difficult using current diagnostic tools such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, or various tumor markers. The predictive value of serum CA 125 levels for peritoneal metastasis from gastric carcinoma was studied.


METHODS
The sera from 384 patients with gastric carcinoma were measured for CA 125 titer using an immunoradiometric assay. Carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and sialyl-Tn antigen were measured in the same samples.


RESULTS
The serum CA 125 level was elevated according to the degree of peritoneal dissemination. The reference value for peritoneal dissemination was determined to be 35 U/mL, resulting in a sensitivity of 39.4%, specificity of 95.7%, and diagnostic accuracy of 90.8%. The diagnostic ability was more reliable than the other imaging modalities including computed tomography and ultrasonography and the other useful tumor markers for gastric carcinoma. The serum CA 125 level was elevated after gastrectomy for approximately 2 months, most likely due to the continuous inflammation of the peritoneum and lost predictive significance for peritoneal dissemination during this period.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of the serum CA 125 titer may be a powerful predictor of peritoneal metastases in patients with gastric carcinoma.
Nakata
B
B
First Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Hirakawa-YS Chung
K
K
Kato
Y
Y
Yamashita
Y
Y
Maeda
K
K
Onoda
N
N
Sawada
T
T
Sowa
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*
D018394:CA-125 Antigen