Tumor markers in inclusion cysts of the ovary.

The immunoperoxidase method was used to determine whether carcinoembryonic antigen, beta subunit of HCG placental lactogen, pregnancy-associated alpha-2 glycoprotein, and pregnancy-specific beta-1 glycoprotein could be found in inclusion cysts of the ovary. These tumor markers are found in the serum of patients with common epithelial carcinomas of the ovary and inclusion cysts are considered to be the origin of these tumors. Placental lactogen was found in 56 of 118 inclusion cysts, beta subunit of HCG in four of 141 cysts, alpha-2 glycoprotein in five of 141, and beta-1 glycoprotein in two of 118. it was concluded that primitive cells in inclusion cysts elaborate the same tumor markers found in serous cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary. This observation, although not proving origin of tumor from the inclusion cyst, demonstrates a significant characteristic shared in common by all three.