title: Do high levels of CA 19-9 in women with mature cystic teratomas of the ovary warrant further evaluation?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the serum levels of tumor markers (particularly CA 19-9) in patients with ovarian mature cystic teratomas (MCT) with respect to age, size, bilaterality, menopause, presence of adhesions, complications and the postoperative levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated clinical characteristics and tumor markers of 157 patients with MCT of the ovary operated at our clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CA19-9 was the only tumor marker with a mean serum level (46.95 +/- 101.11 U/ml) above the cut-off value and the elevated rate was 33.1%. Tumor size, presence of adhesions and CA 125 levels were significantly higher in patients with elevated CA 19-9. Bilaterality rate was 10.8%. The most common complication was torsion (6.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that elevated levels of CA 19-9 may be expected in MCTs of the ovary and that they will probably be decreased postoperatively. Therefore, postponing evaluation of other possible sources of CA 19-9 elevation in asymptomatic and young patients is more common sense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gaziantep University, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey. metegurolugur@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ugur
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dikensoy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000150:complications; D014102:Torsion Abnormality / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen