DOES INTRAPERITONEAL CA-125 REFLECT DISEASE STATUS

The relationship of serum CA-125 to intraperitoneal (IP) CA-125 was studied in 45 patients with a variety of gynecologic diseases including ovarian carcinoma. In 43 of 45 patients the IP level exceeded the serum level of CA-125. Paracentesis may dramatically alter both levels, thus mimicking surgical debulking. All IP levels of CA-125 measured at second-look coeliotomy for the ovarian cancer patients were within the normal range of IP CA-125 measured at surgery for benign disease. Therefore, intraperitoneal CA-125 is less sensitive than serum CA-125 in predicting intraperitoneal disease status. Likewise it cannot be used to predict the subgroup of ovarian cancer patients with negative second-look coeliotomy who are destined to develop a recurrence of disease. © 1991.