BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: It is difficult to differentially diagnose mature cystic teratoma (MCT) and immature teratoma (IT) of the ovary before operation. This study was to evaluate the value of multiple tumor marker detection in differential diagnosis of ovarian MCT and IT. METHODS: Clinical data of 272 patients with ovarian teratoma, diagnosed pathologically and treated at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 2005, were reviewed. Of the 272 patients, 254 had MCT and 18 had IT. The serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), CA153, CA199, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in MCT and IT were compared. RESULTS: Of the 254 patients with MCT, the median age was 30, the mean serum levels of CA125, CA153, CA199, NSE, AFP and CEA were 25.5 x 103 u/L, 11.8 x 103 u/L, 106.6 x 103 u/L, 12.6 microg/L, 2.7 microg/L and 2.5 microg/L. Of the 18 patients with IT, the median age was 23, the mean serum levels of these tumor markers were 140.3 x 103 u/L, 16.8 x 103 u/L, 112.0 x 103 u/L, 18.0 microg/L, 369.5 microg/L and 3.2 microg/L. Both the serum levels and positive rates of CA125, CA153 and AFP were significantly higher in IT than in MCT (P<0.05). When detected alone to differentially diagnose MCT and IT, the specificity of CA125, CA153, AFP were high, and the sensitivity of CA125 was the best (50.0%). The sensitivity was elevated to 71.4% by combined detection of CA125, CA153 and AFP. CONCLUSION: Combined detection of tumor markers, especially CA125, CA153 and AFP, may be helpful for differential diagnosis of ovarian MCT and IT.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: It is difficult to differentially diagnose mature cystic teratoma (MCT) and immature teratoma (IT) of the ovary before operation. This study was to evaluate the value of multiple tumor marker detection in differential diagnosis of ovarian MCT and IT. METHODS: Clinical data of 272 patients with ovarian teratoma, diagnosed pathologically and treated at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 2005, were reviewed. Of the 272 patients, 254 had MCT and 18 had IT. The serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), CA153, CA199, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in MCT and IT were compared. RESULTS: Of the 254 patients with MCT, the median age was 30, the mean serum levels of CA125, CA153, CA199, NSE, AFP and CEA were 25.5 x 103 u/L, 11.8 x 103 u/L, 106.6 x 103 u/L, 12.6 microg/L, 2.7 microg/L and 2.5 microg/L. Of the 18 patients with IT, the median age was 23, the mean serum levels of these tumor markers were 140.3 x 103 u/L, 16.8 x 103 u/L, 112.0 x 103 u/L, 18.0 microg/L, 369.5 microg/L and 3.2 microg/L. Both the serum levels and positive rates of CA125, CA153 and AFP were significantly higher in IT than in MCT (P<0.05). When detected alone to differentially diagnose MCT and IT, the specificity of CA125, CA153, AFP were high, and the sensitivity of CA125 was the best (50.0%). The sensitivity was elevated to 71.4% by combined detection of CA125, CA153 and AFP. CONCLUSION: Combined detection of tumor markers, especially CA125, CA153 and AFP, may be helpful for differential diagnosis of ovarian MCT and IT.