title: Cancer antigen 125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) is a tumor marker used for the diagnosis and monitoring of ovarian carcinoma. It can also be elevated in endometriosis, inflammations, and in nongynecological malignancies. Up to date, serum CA-125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have not been studied before.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the levels of CA-125 in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of CA-125 were investigated in 68 cases with UC (male/female: 47/21), 32 CD (male/female: 21/11), and 31 healthy controls (male/female: 16/15). Levels of CA-125 were also compared among UC patients according to lesion location, severity, and activity of CD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum CA-125 levels were 17.29+/-24.50 U/ml, 15.56+/-20.74 U/ml, and 8.85+/-2.62 U/ml in patients with UC, CD, and healthy controls, respectively. Serum CA-125 levels were significantly higher in UC compared to control group (P=0.001). Serum CA-125 levels were higher in CD patients compared to control group but there was no significance (P=0.087). Serum CA-125 levels were higher in pancolitis compared to distal type and left-sided UC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that serum CA-125 levels may be increased in patients with IBDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Erzurum Bölge Egitim ve Araştirma Hastanesi, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hilmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ataseven
authors.forename: Zeynel Abidin
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arhan
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yüksel
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köklü
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibiş
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Başar
authors.forename: Fatma Meriç
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Ilhami
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yüksel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen