Correlation of Preoperative Serum and Intraoperative Peritoneal Lavage Fluid Ca-125 Levels with Postoperative Tumor Histology in Patients with Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective-Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of Ca-125 in endometrial cancer is not fully known. Some authors have reported high Ca-125 levels in patients with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer, whereas others have stated that Ca-125 levels and the advance of the disease were not correlated in endometrial cancer. This makes it inevitable for clinicians to search for different measurement methods or interpretation of the present tumor markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between Ca-125 values of the serum and abdominal lavage fluid and postoperative histopathological parameters in patients with endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: The study included patients who were diagnosed with endometrial cancer in the Gynecology Clinic and were planned to undergo surgery. The correlations of clinicopathological parameters with preoperative values of Ca-125 measured from serum and abdominal lavage fluid were investigated. The Spearman correlation test was applied in the analysis of correlations of serum and abdominal lavage fluid Ca-125 values with postoperative tumor characteristics. RESULTS: The serum Ca-125 values were determined to be positively correlated with surgical stage, tumor diameter, and lymph node involvement (p = 0.03; p = 0.04; and p = 0.01, respectively). No correlation was determined between tumor grade and serum Ca-125 level. The level of Ca-125 in the abdominal lavage fluid was observed to be correlated with surgical stage and tumor grade, but not with tumor diameter or lymph node involvement (p = 0.01, p = 0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The value of Ca-125 in the abdominal lavage fluid has a positive correlation with the surgical stage and tumor grade in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Tumour markers in peritoneal washing fluid - contribution to cytology.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) that shows the microscopic intra-peritoneal spread of gynaecologic cancers is not used in staging but is known as prognostic factor and effective in planning the intensity of the therapy. False negative or false positive results clearly affect the ability to make the best decision for therapy. In this study we assessed levels of tumour markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9), in peritoneal washing fluid to establish any possible contribution to the peritoneal washing cytology in patients operated for gynaecologic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative tumour markers were studied in serum of blood samples obtained from the patients for preoperative evaluation of a gynaecologic operation. In the same group peritoneal tumour markers were studied in the washing fluid obtained for intraoperative cytological evaluation. RESULTS: This study included a total of 94 patients, 62 with malignant and 32 with benign histopathology. The sensitivity of the cytological examination was found to be 21% with a specificity of 100%. When evaluated with CEA the sensitivity of the cytological examination has increased to 37%. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to examination of PWC, the level of CEA, a tumour marker, in peritoneal washing fluid can make a diagnostic contribution. Determining the level of CEA in peritoneal washing fluid will be useful in the management of gynaecologic cancers.