title: Correlation of CA-125 serum level and clinico-pathological characteristic of patients with endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) is a glycoprotein biomarker that is used in women with pelvic masses such as endometriosis and maybe is useful in practice of patients suspicious to endometriosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between preoperative serum CA-125 levels and clinic pathological characteristic in women with endometriosis, and find out the best serum CA-125 levels cut-off in pre and post menopause women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum CA-125 levels in 87 women aged 21-54 years suspected to endometriosis with pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, or dyspareunia were measured preoperatively. Also the association between clinic pathological characteristic and serum CA-125 level were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of women was 32.22±6.91. The mean serum CA-125 level was 49.93±4.30 U/mL. There was a significant correlation between the endometriosis stage, lesion size, adhesion score and preoperative CA-125 plasma concentration. However, we did not found significant differences in age, marital status, patient's complaints, and pelvic pain associated to Ca125 serum level. The suggested preoperative serum cut-off levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients were 37 U/ml and 35 U/ml, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results, preoperative serum CA-125 is an important predictor for patients with endometriosis and it should be taken into consideration when surgical management is suspected, especially if stage of disease, lesion size and adhesion score are undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.; Recurrent Abortion Research Center, Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi-Zarchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dehshiri-Zadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Leili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sekhavat
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Fahime
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nosouhi
keywords: Adhesion score; CA125; Endometriosis; Mass size; Pelvic pain; Stage