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Is there a role for CA-125 in monitoring patients with early endometrial cancer?
  1. M. Prefontaine*,
  2. G. J. O'Connell†,
  3. E. Ryan‡ and
  4. K. J. Murphy§
  1. * Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ottawa General Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6;
  2. † Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henderson General Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8V 1C3;
  3. ‡ Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5;
  4. § Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4
  1. Address for correspondence: M. Prefontaine, Director, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ottawa General Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6.

Abstract

Elevated CA-125 levels have been reported in some women with endometrial carcinoma. Current follow-up policy for these patients does not involve the use of tumor markers. CA-125 measurements were performed in 28 patients with a diagnosis of endometrial cancer, 14 clinically free of disease and 14 with known disease. Based on the sensitivity (0.64) and specificity (0.93) observed we constructed a model to estimate the predictive value of the assay as a marker in the follow-up of patients who have completed treatment. This model would involve a CA-125 assay every six months for five years in 100 patients with stage I and II disease. Despite the high statistical correlation between the clinical status of the patient and the CA-125 value observed in our study, the positive predictive value would be approximately 24% in such a follow-up protocol where a low prevalence of recurrent malignancy is expected.

  • CA-125
  • endometrial cancer
  • follow-up
  • marker.

https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1438.1991.01040169.x

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