Luteinizing hormone in peritoneal and ovarian cyst fluids: a predictor of ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to define the role of luteinizing hormone (LH) as a tumor marker, specific for ovarian cancer.


METHODS
The study included 34 women with functional and benign ovarian cysts, 11 women with borderline ovarian tumors, 22 patients with advanced ovarian cancer and 15 patients with non-ovarian intraperitoneal malignancies. Serum, peritoneal fluid and ovarian cyst aspirates were obtained intraoperatively (laparoscopy or laparotomy) and were subjected to the LH analysis.


RESULTS
Peritoneal fluid LH levels were significantly increased in patients with ovarian cancer and those with borderline ovarian tumors as compared to patients with functional and benign ovarian cysts (P=0.005 and P=0.007, respectively). The patients with non-ovarian malignancies demonstrated the same peritoneal fluid LH levels as patients with benign ovarian tumors. There was no significant difference in the level of peritoneal fluid LH between ovarian cancer patients with and without ascites. The patients with functional and benign ovarian cysts demonstrated also significantly lower cyst fluid LH levels as compared to patients with malignant and borderline ovarian cysts (P=0.01 and P=0.03, respectively). Peritoneal and ovarian cyst fluid levels of LH were significantly increased in patients with fibrothecomas as compared to patients with other benign ovarian cysts. There were no significant differences in the serum LH levels comparing patients from all study groups.


CONCLUSIONS
LH, detectable in peritoneal and ovarian cyst fluids, can be used as a tumor marker for identification of patients with borderline and malignant ovarian tumors.
Halperin
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Pansky
M
M
Vaknin
Z
Z
Zehavi
S
S
Bukovsky
I
I
Schneider
D
D
D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D020420:Cyst Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D010048:Ovarian Cysts; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013798:Thecoma / Q000175:diagnosis
D007986:Luteinizing Hormone