The clinical significance of pre-operative serum CA 125 in ovarian cancer.

In a prospective study of 52 patients with ovarian malignancy followed up for 3-18 months the clinical significance of pre-operative serum CA 125 as a tumour marker was assessed. In 41 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, the level of CA 125 correlated well with tumour load as indicated by FIGO stage. All epithelial histological types, including mucinous, released CA 125 although serous and undifferentiated tumours produced quantitatively more antigen. There was, however, no correlation between CA 125 concentration and histopathological grade, nor did CA 125 level appear to be of any prognostic value in epithelial ovarian cancer. Elevated CA 125 levels were also found in patients with sex cord/stromal tumours. Krukenberg tumours, an ovarian sarcoma and a serous carcinoma of low malignant potential.