Determination of CA-125 levels in the serum, cervical and vaginal secretions, and endometrium in Chinese women with precancerous disease or endometrial cancer.
BACKGROUND
Serum CA-125 has been used as a biomarker of gynecological tumors. In this study, we investigated the CA-125 levels in cervical and vaginal secretions from Chinese patients with endometrial polyps, hyperplasia and carcinoma in comparison with those in endometrium and serum.


METHODS
An electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay was utilized to determine the levels of CA-125 in 51 healthy Chinese women and 97 patients with polyps, hyperplasia or endometrial cancer. An immunohistochemistry method was used to detect endometrial CA-125 expression in 242 subjects.


RESULTS
Our study demonstrated that serum CA-125 levels were much lower than those in cervical and vaginal secretions in healthy and diseased women. The levels of CA-125 in serum, and cervical and vaginal secretions were significantly increased in complex hyperplasia and endometrial cancer. The increase of CA-125 content in serum, cervical and vaginal secretions was lesser significant in grade 3 cancer than that in grade 1 and 2 cancer. Generally, serum CA-125 levels correlated with those in cervical and vaginal secretions and CA-125 content in cervical secretion correlated with that in vaginal secretion. There was only a weak CA-125 expression in normal endometrium and simple endometrial hyperplasia. There was a significant difference in CA-125 expression among patients with pathological grade 1, 2 and 3 of endometrial carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Endo.metrial CA-125 expression together with its levels in the serum and cervical and vaginal secretions can be used as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of precancerous diseases and endometrial carcinoma.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiaolan Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, China. heshuming@zsxlyy.com
Shu-Ming
SM
He
Fuqi
F
Xing
Hong
H
Sui
Youming
Y
Wu
Yongli
Y
Wang
Dong
D
Wang
Guanghui
G
Chen
Zijing
Z
Kong
Shu-Feng
SF
Zhou
D044466:Asian People; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen