Clinical significance of the tumour markers CA 125 II and CA 72-4 in ovarian carcinoma

Abstract

In a retrospective study we compared the usefulness of the tumour marker CA 72-4 with the established marker CA 125 II (both EIA on Cobas-Core, Hoffmann LaRoche, Basel Switzerland) at the time of primary diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma (n = 123) in order to discriminate between ovarian carcinomas of different histological type. We compared their diagnostic value, behaviour in follow-up care and evaluated possible combinations. Fixing specificity at 95% vs. benign gynaecological diseases (n = 37) as the clinically relevant reference group, we found cut-off values of 160 U/mL for CA 125 II and 3.0 U/mL for CA 72-4. On the basis of this specificity, we found comparable sensitivity for CA 125 II and CA 72-4 for all kinds of ovarian carcinoma at the time of primary diagnosis. With regard to histology, we found best sensitivity for CA 125 II in serous ovarian cancer and for CA 72-4 in mucinous ovarian cancer. Additional sensitivities were found in ovarian carcinoma in general but little in serous ones. No additive sensitivity was found in mucinous ovarian carcinomas with CA 72-4 as leading marker. In follow-up care, CA 72-4 was the leading marker in I I cases and CA I25 II in 16, while in one case both markers were negative. In 6 cases the change of values reflecting clinical follow-up-care was within the so-called reference range. According to our results, at the time of primary diagnosis because of lack of histological findings the combined determination of CA I25 II and CA 72-4 can be recommended. In follow-up care and control of efficacy of therapy the preoperative positive or leading marker is generally sufficient. The determination of both markers in follow-up care is indicated only if they both are negative at primary diagnosis and until one of them becomes clearly positive.0 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Alternative antibody for the detection of CA125 antigen: a European multicenter study for the evaluation of the analytical and clinical performance of the Access® OV Monitor assay on the UniCel® DxI 800 Immunoassay System

“…Several studies have shown that CA125 is the marker of first choice for diagnosis of ovarian cancer (2,9,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). However, specificity of CA125 is limited by various benign diseases, particularly those affecting the visceral epithelia, e.g., when pleural, pericardial or peritoneal effusions are present (10,11).…”

“…Preoperative sensitivity and specificity could be improved by combination with other cancer antigens, such as CA15-3 and CA72-4 (14,16). Further, prognostic value of CA125 values was found (18,19).…”

“…Despite this lack of organ specificity, CA125 has a very high sensitivity for ovarian cancer, already in early stages, and was supposed to be a valuable marker for differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer (2,9,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Preoperative sensitivity and specificity could be improved by combination with other cancer antigens, such as CA15-3 and CA72-4 (14,16).…”

Mucin Macromolecules in Normal, Adenomatous, and Carcinomatous Colon: Evidence for the Neotransformation

“…However, malignant transformation usually alters this. [131][132][133][134][135][136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146] Alterations in expression of mucin carbohydrate or peptide antigens or both are progressively described in carcinomas developed from various tissues such as breast, [147,148] endometrium, [149] ovary, [150,151] pharynx and larynx, [152] lung, [153] stomach, [154,155] liver, [156] gall bladder, [157,158] pancreas, [159,160] and small and large intestine. [161][162][163] Some mucins are rarely expressed in normal tissues, but are anomalously expressed in tumoural tissues.…”

A Review and an Update on the Screening of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

“…This confirms previous reports that showed CA72-4 as the predominant mucinous marker, whereas CA125 predominated with nonmucinous disese. 41,42 A total of 7 of the 30 patients with cancer were diagnosed at stage I or stage II. When the data were evaluated based on disease stage at diagnosis, CA125 was only elevated for 2 of these cases, whereas CA72-4 was elevated in 5 of the cases.…”