title: CASA and Ca 125 in diagnosis and follow-up of advanced ovarian cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CA 125 is the most important tumor marker in ovarian cancer. Due to its low specificity and the fact that some ovarian malignancies do not produce considerable amounts of CA 125 a combination with the Cancer Associated Serum Antigen (CASA) may reflect more accurately the clinical situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  CA 125 and CASA determination was performed in sera of 78 patients with advanced ovarian cancer pre- and postoperatively, monthly during chemotherapy and during follow-up care. The cut-off values for CASA were 4 U/ml, for CA 125 35 U/ml and 65 U/ml, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the detection of advanced ovarian cancer a combination of both tumor markers was superior to the use of either CASA or CA 125 alone. In the follow-up situation CA 125 with the 35 U/ml cut-off showed the highest sensitivity. Both markers had similar prognostic relevance when marker levels three months after surgery were used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CA 125 and CASA have similar characteristics in preoperative diagnosis and postoperative follow-up. In clinical situations with inconclusive or negative CA 125 serum values CASA is helpful to improve management of patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Oehler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sütterlin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caffier
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002480:Cellulase; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C121307:CASA antigen; C079400:CASA protein, Streptomyces; D002480:Cellulase