Correlation of serum CA-125 with histopathological findings in ovarian tumors

Abstract

Introduction: Primary ovarian neoplasms exhibit a wide range of clinical and histopathological presentations. Tumors showing epithelial differentiation are the most frequent primary ovarian neoplasms. Among the malignant tumors, the most common histological sub-type corresponds to serous adenocarcinoma, whose diagnosis is established in advanced stages of the disease in approximately 75% of the patients in Indian population. Tumor marker CA 125 represents a glycoprotein synthesized mainly by neoplastic cells with epithelial differentiation, and its serum level seems to be associated with the biological potential of these lesions. This study intends to find the correlation between CA125 and histopathology of ovarian tumours. \nObjective: To estimate the correlation of serum CA-125 with histopathological subtypes of ovarian tumors. \nMaterials and Methods: Fifty two distinct cases of ovarian tumors were selected, between January 2017 and June 2018, from patients undergoing concomitant analysis of serum CA 125 levels. In each case, age, tumor size, histological type and serum CA 125 were determined. The correlation between preoperative CA125 and histopathological type of tumor were evaluated. Chi square analysis was done and p value \nResults: 52 ovarian tumor patients were included in the study period. The mean age of presentation was 42.69±14.55 years. Highest levels of serum CA 125 were found in malignant serous tumours. Mean serum CA125 concentration in malignant serous adenocarcinoma patients (n = 26) was 635.36±386.05 IU/ml, showing increased serum levels with raised biologically aggressive behaviour and poor patient out come. A statistically non significant relationship between CA 125 levels and age (p = >0.05) and other clinico-pathological parameters were found. No relationship between CA 125 levels and tumor size is seen. \nConclusion: In our study we found 40 patients with greater than 35 IU/ml of CA 125 and maximum no n=34 (65.4%) belonged to malignant categ