The measurement of serum CA-125 levels has been demonstrated to be useful in monitoring the disease status of patients with invasive epithelial ovarian malignancies. However, the role of serum CA-125 in the diagnosis and management of patients
with
borderline ovarian tumors has not been established.
Retrospective analysis of serum CA-125 levels was performed in 29 patients before operation and after treatment for borderline epithelial ovarian tumors at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital between 1987 and 1992. 14(87.5%), 2 (12.5%) of 16
patients
with
mucinous tumor were stage I and III, while 11 (84.6%), 1 (7.7%), 1 (7.7%), 1(7.7%) of 13 patients with serous tumors were stage I, II, III, respectively on surgical staging. The tumor sizes between patients with normal(less than 35U/ml) and
elevated
level(over than 35U/ml) of serum CA-125 were 18.3±1.8 and 17.4±3.0 cm respectively, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups(p=0.689). 38.5% of serous and 50.0% of mucinous tumors had elevated CA-125 levels, and there was
no
statistical difference between the two groups (p=0.806). Combining both cell types, 9 (36.0%) of 25 patients with stage I disease and 4 (100.0%0 of 4 patients with Stage Ii and III disease had elevated preoperative levels. Serum CA-125 level was
statically significantly increased according to upstaging(p=0.001).
Serum CA-125 levels in patients with serous tumors (N=12) were decreased after surgery from 257.1±211.3 U/ml to 7.3±1.7U/ml(p=0.0049), and with mucinous tumors (N=12) from 55.9±11.3U/ml to 9.4±2.8U/ml(p=0.0005). CA-125 levels in patients with
elevated CA-125 level (N=10) were decreased after surgery from 349.6±247.5U/Ml to 9.4±3.4U/ml(p=0.002) and with normal CA-125 level(N=14) from 18.6±2.5U/ml to 7.6±1.5U/ml (p=0.0038). These data suggest that preoperative serum CA-125 level
correlates
with stage of disease and serum Ca-125 levels decrease after surgery regardless the initial level before treatment.
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