title: Serum CA 125, CA 15-3, CEA, and CA 19-9: a prognostic factor for uterine carcinosarcomas?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is a controversy in the literature regarding the role and the prognostic significance of serum markers in uterine carcinosarcomas (CSs). We attempted to determine the utility of serum CA 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9, and CEA as prognostic factors and disease follow-up in patients with CS of the uterus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with CS of the uterus were included in this study. Information regarding demographic, clinical, pathologic, tumor marker data (CA 125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, and CEA both pre- and postoperatively) treatment and outcome information was obtained, followed by Statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up period was 3.5 years. None of the study serum markers showed significant association with the outcome. Greater hazard was found for cases that staged from IIIA to IV compared to those staged from IA to IIB (HR = 4.75, 95 % CI: 1.99-11.3). Also, greater hazard was found for adenosquamous histological type compared to the other histological types. When multiple Cox regression analysis with stepwise approach was implied, it indicated stage as the only significant factor for the outcome. Elevated CA19-9 was more frequent in cases with heterologous sarcoma (p = 0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this retrospective study, none of the preoperative serum tumor markers, neither epithelial component, histological type, nor grade showed a significant association with prognosis. This null finding may have significant implications in the common clinical practice; given that there is a controversy in the literature regarding the role and the significance of the prognostic significance of serum CEA, CA 125, CA 19-9, and CA 15-3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thomakos
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodolakis
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zagouri
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zacharakis
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sotiropoulou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akrivos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haidopoulos
authors.forename: Christos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: Meletios-Athanassios
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1