Diagnostic and prognostic value of serum human epididymis protein 4 in patients with primary fallopian tube carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess the levels of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) with the common tumor marker carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy for primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC).


METHODS
Serum HE4 and CA125 levels from 82 PFTC patients and 154 patients with benign pelvic masses as the control were measured by Roche electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. HE4 determinations for surgery response and recurrence monitoring were assessed in PFTC patients.


RESULTS
Serum HE4 and CA125 concentrations were significantly higher in PFTC patients compared with those seen in patients with benign pelvic masses (P < 0.001). Compared with CA125, HE4 had higher specificity, but lower sensitivity whether at early or advanced stage, and the combination of HE4 + CA125 led to higher sensitivity and specificity. HE4 + CA125 performed significantly better than CA125 or HE4 alone in early stage patients. In early stage the sensitivity was 35.7% for HE4 and 64.3% for CA125, while sensitivity for the combination of HE4 and CA125 could reach 71.4%. Furthermore, the two markers were associated with the progression and histology of PFTC. Serum HE4 level was closely correlated with surgical therapy. PFTC patients displayed a greater decline in the level of HE4 compared with CA125 (76.4% vs 55.7%). Combined with CA125, HE4 elevation better predicted recurrence in PFTC patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that serum HE4 levels are closely associated with PFTC and the outcome of surgical therapy and recurrence in Chinese patients.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China. mrmidong@aliyun.com.
Dong
D
Mi
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China.
Yue-Xiang
YX
Zhang
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China.
Cheng-Jin
CJ
Wang
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China.
Qiang
Q
Feng
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China.
Pei
P
Qi
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin, China.
Shu-Qin
SQ
Chen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D011379:Prognosis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012372:ROC Curve; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C451759:MUC16 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; C569698:WFDC2 protein, human
CA125; biomarker; human epididymis protein 4; primary fallopian tube carcinoma; prognosis