Preoperative Serum CA-125 Levels in Endometrial Cancer

Abstract

In Brief Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate properative serum levels of CA-125 for the prediction of advanced stages of endometrial cancer. Method: Retrospective study evaluated 114 women with pathologically proven endometrial carcinoma treated in our institution that had preoperative serum CA-125 levels between January 1990 and December 2005. The association of preoperative serum CA-125 with a different histopathologic factors was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test and a logistic regression. Results: Elevated serum CA-125 levels were significantly correlated with advanced-stage disease, lymph node metastases, increased depth of myometrial invasion (P < 0,01). Similar correlation was seen between levels of CA-125 and positive peritoneal washing cytology, distant metastases and highest histologic grade. Multivariate analyses using logistic regression showed that lymph node metastases had the most significant effect on the elevation of preoperative serum CA-125 levels. Conclusion: The preoperative serum CA-125 level appears to be a significant independent predictor of advanced-stage disease and lymph node metastasis. Therefore, preoperative serum CA-125 may be a useful tool, in the clinical setting, for optimal individualized patient management. A CA-125 level should be included as a part of the preoperative workup for all patients with endometrial cancer. Preoperative serum CA-125 may be a useful tool, in the preoperative workup for all patients with endometrial cancer.