The value of urocortin and Ca-125 in the diagnosis of endometrioma.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we sought to establish the value of a new molecule, urocortin (Ucn), in the diagnosis of endometrioma and compare with Ca-125 to identify superiority of urocortin.


METHODS
Of the patients operated on at our hospital with the initial diagnosis of adnexal mass, 88 patients whose pathology results were endometrioma and benign ovarian cyst were included in the study. As a result of the pathological examination, the patients were assessed in two groups. Group 1 consisted of 42 cases of endometrioma and Group 2 included 46 cases of benign ovarian cyst (control group). The serum Ucn and CA 125 levels of patients were measured from the blood samples drawn prior to the operation.


RESULTS
While the serum Ucn level was 4.8 ± 1.00 ng/ml in the endometrioma group, it was 4.5 ± 1.03 ng/ml in the control group (P = 0.21). The difference was statistically not meaningful. On the other hand, mean serum Ca-125 level was 43.8 U/l (11.7-251) in the endometrioma group, it was 16.5 U/l (4.3-121.1) in the control group. The difference was statistically meaningful (P = 0.001). When the cut-off point for Serum Ca-125 level was taken as 21.38, sensitivity and specificity levels were found to be 88.1 and 63%. When the cut-off point for Ucn was taken as 4.16, sensitivity was 76.2%, and specificity 45.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
Ucn was not found to be efficient in distinguishing endometrioma from other benign ovarian cysts or to be superior to CA125 in the diagnosis of endometrioma.
Tokmak
Aytekin
A
Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Tunali Hilmi Cad. Binnaz Sok. No:1/5 Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara, Turkey.
Ugur
Mustafa
M
Tonguc
Esra
E
Var
Turgut
T
Moraloğlu
Ozlem
O
Ozaksit
Gülnur
G
D000328:Adult; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D054832:Urocortins / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D054832:Urocortins