title: Role of HE4, CA72.4, and CA125 in monitoring ovarian cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of biomarkers CA125, HE4, and CA72.4 at diagnosis and throughout the follow-up in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Thirty-nine patients with EOC were deemed eligible, and 20 were followed up. CA125, HE4, and CA72.4 serum levels were determined for all patients at initial diagnosis of EOC. Among these patients, the number of cases with an elevated level of each individual marker was CA125 77 %, HE4 85 %, and CA72.4 72 %. A statistically significant difference was observed between the level of HE4 when compared to CA72.4 (p < 0.02). In the follow-up phase, we observed tumor marker levels fluctuating according to response to chemotherapy. When combining two out of the three biomarkers together, we observed increased values of CA125 and CA72.4 in 55 % of the patients, increased values of CA125 and HE4 in 65 % of the patients, and finally increased HE4 and CA72.4 in 75 % of the patients. A statistically significant difference was observed when combining HE4 and CA72.4, but not CA125 and CA 72.4 (p < 0.002). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the association of three biomarkers CA125, HE4, and CA72.4 provides a valuable contribution in the follow-up of EOC patients.
authors.affiliation: CNR-IBPM, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Midulla
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colaprisca
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anastasi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C083825:CA-72-4 antigen; D011506:Proteins; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; C569698:WFDC2 protein, human