The epidemiology of CA-125 in women without evidence of ovarian cancer in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the epidemiology of CA-125 in women without ovarian cancer.


METHODS
We analyzed demographic, medical and lifestyle characteristics related to CA-125, measured using the Centocor CA-125II RIA assay, among 25,608 multi-ethnic U.S. women aged 55-74 years enrolled in a cancer screening trial and found to have no evidence of ovarian cancer.


RESULTS
Mean CA-125 level was 11.9 U/ml (SD 8.3); median 10.0 U/ml, interquartile range 8.0-14.0. High levels, using the clinical cut point of >or=35 U/ml, were associated with increased age (p<0.001) and former smoking (p<0.021), while hysterectomy and obesity were protective (p<0.001). Mean levels were higher with increasing age (p<0.001), ever use of hormone therapy (p<0.001), former smoking (p<0.017) and history of breast cancer (p<0.002), but lower (p<0.001) with non-White status, previous hysterectomy, current smoking, and obesity. Current hormone therapy use was not associated with CA-125 in women without a uterus.


CONCLUSIONS
In post-menopausal women without ovarian cancer, CA-125 level is influenced by a number of factors, including race/ethnicity, age, hysterectomy, smoking history and obesity.
Johnson
Christine C
CC
Josephine Ford Cancer Center, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA. cjohnso1@hfhs.org
Kessel
Bruce
B
Riley
Thomas L
TL
Ragard
Lawrence R
LR
Williams
Craig R
CR
Xu
Jian-Lun
JL
Buys
Saundra S
SS
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D018394:CA-125 Antigen