title: Serum endocan levels in endometrial and ovarian cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ovarian and endometrial carcinomas are the two most common malignancies of the female reproductive system. Endocan is a proteoglycan that is specific to vascular endothelial cells. Increased serum levels have been reported in some tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate serum endocan levels in cases of endometrial and ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of serum endocan were assessed in 27 patients with endometrial cancer and 20 with ovarian cancer, and in 38 control subjects with benign ovarian or endometrial disorders. Thirty-five healthy subjects were also included. Serum endocan levels were measured using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum CA-125 levels were also measured in the patient and control groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had detectable serum endocan levels among endometrial and ovarian cancer groups except six cases. However, in the benign and healthy control groups, all endocan levels were undetectable except for two cases in the benign group and three in the healthy control group. Serum endocan levels were significantly higher in the entire patient group than in the controls (P<.0001 for both). Serum endocan levels in cases of endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer were higher than in both the control groups (P<.0001 for both). Evaluation of all groups revealed a positive correlation between serum CA-125 and endocan levels (r=.43, P<.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although benign ovarian or endometrial disorders do not lead to expression of endocan, malignant cases can result in measurable endocan levels. This may be useful in differentiating benign and malign diseases of the endometrium or ovary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laloglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yakup
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kumtepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emsal Pınar
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Topdagi Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C101134:ESM1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans
keywords: ESM-1; cancer antigen 125; endocan; endometrial cancer; ovarian cancer