title: Comparison of HE4 and CA125 levels in women with benign gynecologic disorders : Does age or menopausal status matter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to measure serum concentrations of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with benign adnexal tumors and compare HE4 levels with those of cancer antigen 125 (CA125) measured in the same samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospectively designed, monocentric study (Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, General Hospital, Celje, Slovenia, EU), 147 women diagnosed with various benign adnexal tumors were included. Preoperative HE4 and CA125 levels were obtained and analyzed with regard to histopathological classification, menopausal status, and age distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A marked difference was observed in patients with endometriomas in which mean CA125 was elevated above the reference range in the premenopausal (mean 90.1 U/ml) and postmenopausal groups (mean 48.5 U/ml), while HE4 levels were within the reference range, irrespective of age or menopausal status. Inflammatory adnexal tumors were associated with elevated levels of CA125 (mean 142.2 U/ml, premenopausal and mean 62.4 U/ml, postmenopausal patients); HE4 levels were not elevated regardless of age or menopausal status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HE4 is elevated less frequently than CA125 in benign adnexal tumors, regardless of age or menopausal status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, General Hospital Celje, Oblakova 5, 3000, Celje, Slovenia. rdelic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ratko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delić
authors.affiliation: Clinical Institute of Chemistry, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Štefanović
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, General Hospital, Celje, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Štefka
authors.initials: Š
authors.lastname: Krivec
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, General Hospital Celje, Oblakova 5, 3000, Celje, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, General Hospital Celje, Oblakova 5, 3000, Celje, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: 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
keywords: Age; Benign adnexal tumor; CA125; HE4; Menopausal status