Influence of tumor grade on expression of CA 125 in serum and tissue in patients with serous ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The factors affecting CA 125 expression in tissue in serous carcinoma are not well known. The aim of our study was to establish how CA 125 expression in serum and tissue is affected by DNA-ploidy, proliferative activity of tumor cells, tumor grade and the stage of the disease.


METHODS
This retrospective study included 50 patients with ovarian carcinoma. The serum CA 125 level was determined preoperatively in all patients. Antigen expression in tissue was confirmed using CA 125-immunohistochemistry. Suspensions of nuclei were prepared from tissue sections and DNA-ploidy was determined using flow cytometry. Data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics and multivariant analysis.


RESULTS
The average level of serum CA 125 was 674.5 U/ml and was significantly higher in advanced (p = 0.00044) and dedifferentiated (p = 0.00055) tumors and in tumors with a higher S-phase fraction (SPF) (p = 0.011). The mean percent of CA 125-positive cells in tissue was 38.3. CA 125 immunostaining was not related to tumor grade or DNA-ploidy. A positive CA 125 test in both tissue and serum was confirmed in 33 cases (66%). The correlation between expression of CA 125 in tissue and serum was weak (r = 0.28) and nonsignificant (p = 0.052).


CONCLUSIONS
No reliable conclusions could be drawn on the influence of the studied parameters on expression of CA 125 in tissue and serum. The effect of tumor grade seems to be the strongest influence, particularly on CA 125 expression in serum, but it is not independent.
But
Igor
I
Department of Gynecology and Perinatology, Maribor Teaching Hospital, Maribor, Slovenia. igor.but@guest.arnes.si
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D011003:Ploidies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen