Serum CA-125 as a marker of disease activity in uterine papillary serous carcinoma.
Papillary serous carcinoma of the endometrium exhibits many clinical features of ovarian cancer, including a high metastatic potential and response to platinum-based chemotherapy. We investigated the clinical utility of the serum CA-125 antigen level, an established marker of response or progression in ovarian cancer, to serve as a indicator of these events in patients with this highly malignant subtype of endometrial cancer. Of 21 individuals with this cancer treated in our program from 11/91 to 6/97, 16 had baseline CA-125 determinations prior to the administration of chemotherapy, of whom 13 were elevated above the normal range. Of these 13 patients, 8 (57%) experienced either a major reduction or normalization of CA-125 levels following therapy, consistent with their clinical course at that point in time. Similarly, of 11 patients who ultimately relapsed, 8 (73%) were found to have a rise in the CA-125 antigen level which closely corresponded to, or proceeded, clinical relapse. A single patient was demonstrated to have disease progression with a declining level of CA-125. We conclude the serum CA-125 antigen level is a useful indicator of disease response or progression in individuals with papillary serous carcinoma of the endometrium.
Abramovich
D
D
Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, Departments of Hematology/Medical Oncology, and Gynecology/Obstetrics, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Markman
M
M
Kennedy
A
A
Webster
K
K
Belinson
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D018283:Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen