title: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) improves the sensitivity of CA125 for differentiation of epithelial ovarian cancers from ovarian cysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to compare the diagnostic value of preoperative serum levels of CA125 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the combination of both biomarkers for differentiating early stage epithelial ovarian cancers from ovarian cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, preoperative and postoperative serum levels of CA125 and VEGF of 30 patients with epithelial ovarian cancers (cancer arm) compared with that of 30 patients with benign ovarian cysts (cyst arm). Initial eligibility included having an ovarian cystic or solid mass detected by transvaginal ultrasonography at the hospital clinic. Included patients had to have localized pelvic disease and no clinical or imaging evidence of extrapelvic disease, ascites and distant metastasis. Initial exclusion criteria included prior history of malignancy or any type of cancer treatment. After surgery, only patients with pathologic diagnosis of early stage epithelial ovarian cancer and ovarian cyst were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative serum levels of CA125 (P < 0.001) and VEGF (P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the study arm compared to the control arm. In addition, postoperative serum levels of CA125 (P < 0.001) and VEGF (P < 0.001) in study arm were significantly decreased compared to preoperative serum levels. At usual clinical cut-off levels of 17.6 pg/ml for VEGF and 35 U/ml for CA125, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting early stage epithelial ovary cancer were 90 and 57 % for VEGF and 66.6 and 73 % for CA125, respectively. At 100 % specificity for each test, the addition of VEGF to CA125 increased the sensitivity of early ovarian cancer detection from 60 to 73.3 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that the addition of VEGF serum value improves the specificity and the sensitivity of CA125 to detect early stage epithelial ovarian cancers, and to differentiate these neoplasms from ovarian cyst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robati
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaderi
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehraban
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shafizad
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasrolahi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadianpanah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A