title: [Role of Ca 125 in pelvic masses. Our experience].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The goal of our study is to plan a screening program for early detection of ovarian cancer through clinical examination, pelvic ultrasonography and serum Ca 125 dosage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1993 and June 1999, 436 patients have been submitted to ovarian cancer screening at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Institute of the Second University of Naples. All women were in postmenopausal period, older than 50 years and didn't show any gynecologic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical examination selected 41 patients (9.4%) with a pelvic mass; pelvic ultrasonography revealed ovarian or uterine mass (only subserous myoma) in 87 cases (19.9%). These patients were submitted to Ca 125 serum dosage; in three cases Ca 125 was higher than 65 U/ml and in 26 cases its value was between 35 and 65 U/ml. The remaining 58 patients showed Ca 125 values lower than 35 U/ml. Four patients with ovarian cancer have been detected with our screening program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors conclude that pelvic ultrasonography and serum Ca 125 dosage are useful for the assessment of an early screening program of ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Instituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Seconda Università degli Studi, Napoli. mariorot@libero.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauro
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Ammaturo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guerriero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasile
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panariello
mesh_terms: D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen
vernacular_title: Ruolo del Ca 125 nelle masse pelviche. Nostra esperienza.