[CA-125 serum levels in the diagnostic and clinical approach to ovarian cancer]. / Livelli sierici di CA-125 nell'approccio diagnostico e clinico nel cancro ovarico mulleriano.

ABSTRACT

The CA 124 serum level is a useful marker in monitoring epithelial ovarian carcinoma. More elevated serum levels when compared to the conventional cut-off (ie 35 U/ml), after the first surgical and/or chemotherapeutic approach, give evidence for the presence of an endocelomic and/or retroperitoneal tumour or are indicative of relapses. Also, they are well correlated with the endoperitoneal cytology pattern. Good correlation exists between the serological amount of CA 125 and tumoral mass before surgical removal whereas its efficacy in the differential diagnosis between primary ovarian tumours and metastatic disease ad well as its diagnostic specificity towards pelvic bulks, before removing them, is limited. Higher specificity seems to be obtained on increasing the cut-off threshold over 70 U/ml.