title: The importance of serum insulin-like growth factor-I level determination in the follow-up of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to assess whether serum levels of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) could be used for the follow-up of the patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and to identify whether it was superior to serum CA 125.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study group consisted of 28 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer who had initial high serum CA 125 levels and have received chemotherapy following the operation. Preoperatively and before each chemotherapy administration, serum CA 125 and IGF-I levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean value of preoperative serum CA 125 was 364.0 +/- 152.9 U/ml. Serum CA 125 levels decreased with chemotherapy (Spearman rs= - 0.641, p=0.000). The mean preoperative serum IGF-I concentration was 58.04 +/- 52.7 ng/ml, and it showed a slight increase with chemotherapy. (Spearman rs=0.3 18, p=0.001). We observed that there was a weak-moderate negative correlation between the two markers, and when chemotherapy was administered serum CA 125 levels which were initially high started to decrease while serum IGF-I levels showed a mild increase (Spearman rs= - 0.350, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurement of serum IGF-I does not provide any additional benefit in monitoring the response of the disease to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cerraphasa Medical School, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bese
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nomir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I