Using an immunoradiometric assay, serum CA125 levels were measured in 13 women with a normal pregnancy, 9 with a spontaneous abortion, 3 with a hydatidiform mole, and 15 with a tubal pregnancy. Serum CA125 levels were high in patients with a normal pregnancy (154 +/- 169 U/ml; mean +/- S.D.), a spontaneous abortion (244 +/- 258 U/ml), or a hydatidiform mole (54 +/- 16 U/ml). In contrast, CA125 levels in patients with a tubal pregnancy (33 +/- 25 U/ml) were low, and almost all of those without uterine bleeding (25 +/- 9 U/ml) were within the normal range for non-pregnant women (< 35 U/ml). The difference between serum CA125 levels with intrauterine pregnancy and with tubal pregnancy may be ascribed to the difference of the amount of decidual tissues at the site of trophoblastic invasion.
In 1985, we were in charge of the femininity control tests for the participants of the XXth Universiade in Kobe. At that time, we chose as screening tests checking both X chromatin from buccal mucous membrane and Y chromatin from hair roots. The number of female competitors who attended the Universiade, except tennis, gymnastics, and fencing, was 631. Among them, 108 had already had the certificate of femininity so we examined 523 female competitors. All but three of them were normal for femininity, i.e., X chromatin positive and Y chromatin negative. Two of the three exceptions were Y chromatin positive and X chromatin negative. Chromosomal analyses from their peripheral lymphocytes showed a pattern concordant with a 46,XY karyotype. The other was both X and Y chromatin positive, but we could find Y chromatin on only one slide out of three. Since this person refused to have a blood sample taken, we can only suppose her karyotype as being 46,XX/46,XY or 46,XX/47,XXY. This last case would not have been found, if we had checked only the X chromatin. From our experience, we conclude that for femininity control, it is safer to screen the Y chromatin. We would strongly advise the use of both X and Y chromatin tests for femininity control.
Increased plasminogen activator (PA) secrection has been observed in transformed and malignant cells and PA is thought to be involved in the processes of invasion and metastasis. Recently both types of plasminogen activator such as tissue type PA (tPA) and urokinase type PA (uPA), have been detected in human plasma.In this study, to investigate the relationship between circulating PA and malignant state, we have measured plasma PA levels (PA activity, tPA and uPA antigen) in 69 women with gynecologic malignancies. These levels were compared to levels in a control group of 33 women with benign gynecologic tumors.
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