title: Is CA72-4 a useful biomarker in differential diagnosis between ovarian endometrioma and epithelial ovarian cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical excision of ovarian endometriomas in patients desiring pregnancy has recently been criticized because of the risk of damage to healthy ovarian tissue and consequent reduction of ovarian reserve. A correct diagnosis in cases not scheduled for surgery is therefore mandatory in order to avoid unexpected ovarian cancer misdiagnosis. Endometriosis is often associated with high levels of CA125. This marker is therefore not useful for discriminating ovarian endometrioma from ovarian malignancy. The aim of this study was to establish if the serum marker CA72-4 could be helpful in the differential diagnosis between ovarian endometriosis and epithelial ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serums CA125 and CA72-4 were measured in 72 patients with ovarian endometriomas and 55 patients with ovarian cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High CA125 concentrations were observed in patients with ovarian endometriosis and in those with ovarian cancer. A marked difference in CA72-4 values was observed between women with ovarian cancer (71.0%) and patients with endometriosis (13.8%) (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that CA72-4 determination can be useful to confirm the benign nature of ovarian endometriomas in women with high CA125 levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anastasi
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manganaro
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benedetti Panici
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Porpora
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C083825:CA-72-4 antigen; C451759:MUC16 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins