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Serum CA125 level before the development of ovarian cancer
Author(s) -
Kobayashi H.,
Ooi H.,
Yamada Y.,
Sakata M.,
Kawaguchi R.,
Kanayama S.,
Sumimoto K.,
Terao T.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2007.06.003
Subject(s) - ovarian cancer , medicine , serous fluid , cancer , serous ovarian cancer , cohort , ovary , oncology , gastroenterology
Background Little is known about the natural history of ovarian cancer with respect to the change of serum CA125 level. Methods The Shizuoka Cohort Study on Ovarian Cancer Screening (SCSOCS) Trial contains approximately 100,000 data on serum tumor marker CA125 prospectively obtained from more than 70,000 women. We reviewed the clinical charts and collected serum samples 2 months to 9.4 years prior to the surgery were available. Results In 396 (95%) of the 419 patients with ovarian cancer, one serum sample was present before the diagnosis (mean, 4.1 years). The change of CA125 level before the diagnosis of ovarian cancer could be clearly separated into two groups according to the length of the following intervals: 47% (107/228) of patients with non‐serous‐type ovarian cancers develop secondarily from slightly elevated CA125 level (35 < CA125 < 65 U/ml), with a mean interval of 3.8 years. On the other hand, 75% (126/168) of patients with serous‐type ovarian cancer seem to develop suddenly from a normal CA125 level (CA125 < 35 U/ml), with a mean interval of 1.4 years ( p = 0.011). Conclusions The slightly elevated CA125 level is typically present many years before the diagnosis especially in patients with non‐serous‐type ovarian cancer. However, serous‐type ovarian cancer may exhibit a rapid progression possibly through de novo carcinogenesis.