title: HE4 in the differential diagnosis of ovarian masses.
abstract: Ovarian masses, a common finding among pre- and post-menopausal women, can be benign or malignant. Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy among women living in industrialized countries. According to the current guidelines, measurement of CA125 tumor marker remains the gold standard in the management of ovarian cancer. Recently, HE4 has been proposed as emerging biomarker in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses and in the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Discrimination of benign and malignant ovarian tumors is very important for correct patient referral to institutions specialized in care and management of ovarian cancer. Tumor markers CA125 and HE4 are currently incorporated into the "Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm" (ROMA) with menopausal status for discerning malignant from benign pelvic masses. The availability of a good biomarker such as HE4, closely associated with the differential and early diagnosis of ovarian cancer, could reduce medical costs related to more expensive diagnostic procedures. Finally, it is important to note that HE4 identifies platinum non-responders thus enabling a switch to second line chemotherapy and improved survival.
authors.affiliation: CNR-IBPM, National Research Council, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Porpora
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angeloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, "Sapienza", University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manganaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: emanuela.anastasi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anastasi
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012306:Risk; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D011506:Proteins; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; C569698:WFDC2 protein, human
keywords: CA125; Epithelial ovarian cancer; HE4; Ovarian mass; ROMA; Tumor markers