Value of preoperative CA 125 level in the management of uterine cancer and prediction of clinical outcome

A clinical marker-based modeling framework to preoperatively predict lymph node and vascular space involvement in endometrial cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial cancer (EC) has high mortality at advanced stages. Poor prognostic factors include grade 3 tumors, deep myometrial invasion, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI). Preoperative knowledge of patients at higher risk of lymph node involvement, when such involvement is not suspected, would benefit surgery planning and patient prognosis. This study implements an ensemble machine learning approach that evaluates Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) along with histologic type, preoperative grade, and age to predict LVSI, LNM and stage in EC patients.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review spanning January 2000 to January 2015 at a regional hospital was performed. Women 18 years or older with a diagnosis of EC and preoperative or within one-week CA125 measurement were included (n = 842). An ensemble machine learning approach was implemented based on a stacked generalization technique to evaluate CA125 in combination with histologic type, preoperative grade, and age as predictors, and LVSI, LNM and disease stage as outcomes.

RESULTS

The ensemble approach predicted LNM and LVSI in EC patients with AUROCTEST of 0.857 and 0.750, respectively, and predicted disease stage with AUROCTEST of 0.665. The approach achieved AUROCTEST for LVSI and LNM of 0.750 and 0.643 for grade 1 patients, and of 0.689 and 0.952 for grade 2 patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

An ensemble machine learning approach offers the potential to preoperatively predict LVSI, LNM and stage in EC patients with adequate accuracy based on CA125, histologic type, preoperative grade, and age.

Predictive factors of endometrial lesions in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding

PURPOSE

To explore the risk factors of endometrial lesions in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding(AUB) and establish prediction models which can discriminate between different endometrial etiologies of AUB.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted this cross-sectional study in consecutive 778 women with AUB who received ultrasound examination and endometrial histopathological examination. Models were developed to distinguish between normal endometrium and (1) endometrial lesions, (2) endometrial polyps, (3) endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, (4) endometrial atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma.

RESULTS

274 (35.2%) women had normal endometrium; 504 (64.8%) had endometrial lesions, including 337(43.3%) endometrial polyps, 139(17.9%) endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, 28(3.6%) endometrial atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. Age (OR = 1.122, 95%CI 1.002-1.257, P < 0.001), ET (endometrial thickness, OR = 2.702, 95%CI 1.629-4.402, P < 0.001), and CA125(U/ml) (OR = 1.007, 95%CI 1.003-1.021, P < 0.001) are independent risk factors of endometrial lesions in women with AUB. BMI(OR = 1.109, 95%CI 1.067-1.433,P = 0.038), ET(OR = 20.741, 95%CI 16.136-98.842, P < 0.001), age(OR = 1.182, 95%CI1.031-1.433,P = 0.016)、CA125(U/ml) (OR = 1.690, 95%CI 1.506-1.929,P = 0.001), prevalence of hypertension(OR = 1.350, 95%CI 1.051-67.82, P = 0.014) and diabetes(OR = 1.108, 95%CI 1.008-20.194,P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma in patients with AUB. The model we built could predict atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma with the sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 80.7% and the AUC of 0.921.

CONCLUSION

In women with AUB, the new-built model based on age, BMI, endometrial thickness, hypertension, diabetes and CA125 could discriminate reliable between atypical hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma and normal women. The model may be useful for management of AUB.

Values of tumor volume on magnetic resonance imaging for a surgical approach to endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relationship between tumor volume in Endometrial Cancer (EC) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and lymph node metastasis to establish which patients benefit from omitting the lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study with 194 patients with EC identified between 2016 and 2021 at the Juan Ramón Jiménez University Hospital, Huelva (Spain) was carried out. Preoperative MRI of 127 patients was assessed. The tumor volume was analyzed on MRI by the ellipsoid formula and another alternative method with a manual ROI in different sections. Risk factors for node metastases were analyzed to understand its relationship and to identify an optimum criterion for the tailored surgery.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis showed risk factors for lymph node metastases were histological grade (p = 0.001), tumor with a volume greater than >25 cm3 (p < 0.001), lymphovascular space invaded (p = 0.007), and preoperative Ca 125 serum >28 (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor volume index >25 cm3 was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastases. The patients without significant proposed risk factors (volume index >25 cm3  [OR = 0.64], Ca 125 > 28 [OR = 0.32], and high histological grade [OR = 2.6]) did not present lymph node metastases, independent of myometrial invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

Lymphadenectomy can be omitted in patients with Endometrioid carcinoma that do not have any of the following risk factors: high-grade tumor, elevated Ca 125 (>28), and tumor volume on MRI greater than 25 cm3 . Tumor volume might predict the state of lymph nodes in EC and it could give information regarding surgical management.

Predictive model for the preoperative assessment and prognostic modeling of lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a well-established prognostic factor in endometrial cancer (EC). We aimed to construct a model that predicts LNM and prognosis using preoperative factors such as myometrial invasion (MI), enlarged lymph nodes (LNs), histological grade determined by endometrial biopsy, and serum cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level using two independent cohorts consisting of 254 EC patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the constructed model was 0.80 regardless of the machine learning techniques. Enlarged LNs and higher serum CA125 levels were more significant in patients with low-grade EC (LGEC) and LNM than in patients without LNM, whereas deep MI and higher CA125 levels were more significant in patients with high-grade EC (HGEC) and LNM than in patients without LNM. The predictive performance of LNM in the HGEC group was higher than that in the LGEC group (AUC = 0.84 and 0.75, respectively). Patients in the group without postoperative pathological LNM and positive LNM prediction had significantly worse relapse-free and overall survival than patients with negative LNM prediction (log-rank test, P < 0.01). This study showed that preoperative clinicopathological factors can predict LNM with high precision and detect patients with poor prognoses. Furthermore, clinicopathological factors associated with LNM were different between HGEC and LGEC patients.

Current and Emerging Prognostic Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological malignancy in high income countries and its incidence is rising. Whilst most women with endometrial cancer are diagnosed with highly curable disease and have good outcomes, a significant minority present with adverse clinico-pathological characteristics that herald a poor prognosis. Prognostic biomarkers that reliably select those at greatest risk of disease recurrence and death can guide management strategies to ensure that patients receive appropriate evidence-based and personalised care. The Cancer Genome Atlas substantially advanced our understanding of the molecular diversity of endometrial cancer and informed the development of simplified, pragmatic and cost-effective classifiers with prognostic implications and potential for clinical translation. Several blood-based biomarkers including proteins, metabolites, circulating tumour cells, circulating tumour DNA and inflammatory parameters have also shown promise for endometrial cancer risk assessment. This review provides an update on the established and emerging prognostic biomarkers in endometrial cancer.

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.

Menopausal Status Combined with Serum CA125 Level Significantly Predicted Concurrent Endometrial Cancer in Women Diagnosed with Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia before Surgery †

About 10–66% of patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia diagnosed before surgery (preoperative-AEH) are found to have concurrent endometrial cancer (EC) at definitive hysterectomy, leading to incomplete primary surgery and delayed adjuvant treatment. This study aims to investigate the potential risk factors of concurrent EC in preoperative-AEH patients in a clinical setting with a gynecological pathology review. All patients diagnosed with AEH by endometrial biopsy or curettage that then underwent definitive hysterectomy from January 2016 to December 2019 in a tertiary hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All diagnoses were reviewed by gynecological pathologists. A total of 624 preoperative-AEH patients were included, 30.4% of whom had concurrent EC. In multivariate analysis, postmenopausal status and CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL significantly correlated with concurrent EC (OR = 3.57; 95% CI = 1.80–7.06; OR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.15–4.03). This risk was remarkably increased in patients with both postmenopausal status and CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL (OR = 16.20; 95% CI = 1.73–151.44). Notably, concurrent EC seemed to occur more frequently in women with postmenopausal time ≥ 5 years (OR = 4.04, 95% CI = 1.80–5.85). In addition, CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL seemed to be an independent risk factor (OR = 5.74; 95% CI = 1.80–18.27) for concurrent intermediate-high-risk EC. Intermediate-high-risk EC was also more commonly seen in preoperative-AEH women with postmenopausal time ≥ 5 years (OR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.21–25.19, p = 0.027). In conclusion, preoperative-AEH patients with postmenopausal status or elevated level of CA125 might have a high risk of concurrent EC. Adequate pre-surgical evaluation might be suggested for such patients.

The Clinical Significance of DJ1 and L1CAM Serum Level Monitoring in Patients with Endometrial Cancer

Circulating tumor markers are not routinely used in patients with endometrial cancer (EC). This pilot study evaluated the role of monitoring new biomarkers DJ1 and L1CAM, in correlation with CA125 and HE4, for the effects of anticancer treatment and preoperative management in EC patients. Serial serum levels of DJ1, L1CAM, CA125 and HE4 were collected in 65 enrolled patients. Serum DJ1, L1CAM, CA125 and HE4 levels were significantly higher at the time of diagnosis compared to those measured during follow-up (FU). In patients with recurrent disease, serum DJ1, CA125 and HE4 levels were significantly higher at the time of recurrence compared to levels in disease-free patients. Serum L1CAM levels were also higher in patients with recurrence but without reaching statistical significance. While DJ1 levels were not affected by any of the observed patient-related characteristics, L1CAM levels were significantly higher in patients with age ≥60 years who were overweight. At the time of EC diagnosis, DJ1 and L1CAM serum levels did not correlate with stage, histological type or risk of recurrence. This is a preliminary description of the potential of serial DJ1 and L1CAM serum level measurement for monitoring the effects of treatment in EC patients.

Improved preoperative risk stratification with CA-125 in low-grade endometrial cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The global obesity epidemic has great impact on the prevalence of low-grade endometrial carcinoma. The preoperative tumor serum marker cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) might contribute to improved identification of high-risk patients within this group. The study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of CA-125 in relation to established preoperative prognosticators, with a focus on identifying patients with poor outcome in low-grade endometrial carcinoma (EC) patients.

METHODS

Prospective multicenter cohort study including all consecutive patients surgically treated for endometrial carcinoma in nine collaborating hospitals from September 2011 until December 2013. All preoperative histopathological diagnoses were reviewed in a blinded manner. Associations between CA-125 and clinicopathological features were determined. Univariable and multivariable analysis by Cox regression were used. Separate analyses were performed for preoperatively designated low-grade and high-grade endometrial carcinoma patients.

RESULTS

A total of 333 patients were analyzed. CA-125 was associated with poor prognostic features including advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage. In multivariable analysis, age, preoperative tumor and CA-125 were significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS); preoperative grade, tumor type, FIGO and CA-125 were significantly associated with disease-specific survival (DSS). Low-grade EC patients with elevated CA-125 revealed a DFS of 80.6% and DSS of 87.1%, compared to 92.1% and 97.2% in low-grade EC patients with normal CA-125.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative elevated CA-125 was associated with poor prognostic features and independently associated with DFS and DSS. Particularly patients with low-grade EC and elevated CA-125 represent a group with poor outcome and should be considered as high-risk endometrial carcinoma.

The role of adjuvant radiotherapy in stage I endometrial cancer: A single-institution outcome

OBJECTIVE

Postoperative radiotherapy for early endometrial cancer has been investigated in several randomized trials. These trials demonstrate that it reduces loco-regional recurrence, but has no impact on overall survival. The aims of this study were to better understand the role of adjuvant radiotherapy and determine predictors for loco-regional recurrence or development of distant metastasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective medical records review was performed on patients with surgical stage I endometrial cancer treated at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 2006 and 2013. Multivariable analysis was conducted using Cox regression for prognostic predictors.

RESULTS

A total of 337 patients were identified. The estimated five-year overall survival and loco-regional recurrence-free survival were 96.3% and 97.9% in the non-radiotherapy group, and 91.6% and 97.1% in the radiotherapy group (p = 0.06 overall survival, p = 0.956 loco-regional recurrence-free survival). Multivariable analysis revealed that elevated preoperative serum Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) level (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.54), age older than 60 years old (HR = 3.34), and depth of myometrial invasion > 50% (HR = 3.37) were significant factors in overall survival. Elevated preoperative CA-125 level (HR = 5.37), age older than 60 years (HR = 6.57), positive lymphovascular space invasion (HR = 50.20), and adjuvant radiotherapy (HR = 0.05) were independent predictors of loco-regional recurrence-free survival. For distant metastasis, deep myometrial invasion was a significant risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative radiotherapy delivery is an independent predictor for loco-regional recurrence-free survival but has no impact on overall survival in this population. Preoperative CA-125 level is a risk factor for loco-regional recurrence, and deep myometrial invasion was correlated with distant metastasis.

Biomarker panel for early detection of endometrial cancer in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer screening trial

BACKGROUND

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in the United States. However, no early detection test exists for asymptomatic women at average risk for endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to identify early detection biomarkers for endometrial cancer using prediagnostic serum.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a nested case-control study of postmenopausal women in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer screening trial (n = 78,216), including 112 incident endometrial cancer cases and 112 controls. Prediagnostic serum was immunodepleted of high-abundance proteins and digested with sequencing grade porcine trypsin via pressure cycling technology. Quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics was performed using high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and highly multiplexed isobaric mass tag combined with basic reversed-phase liquid chromatography. A set of proteins able to predict cancer status was identified with an integrated score assessed by receiver-operator curve analysis.

RESULTS

Mean time from blood draw to endometrial cancer diagnosis was 3.5 years (SD, 1.9 years). There were 47 differentially abundant proteins between cases and controls (P < .05). Protein alterations with high predictive potential were selected by regression analysis and compiled into an aggregate score to determine the ability to predict endometrial cancer. An integrated risk score of 6 proteins was directly related to disease incidence in cases with blood draw ≤2 years, >2 years to ≤5 years or >5 years prior to cancer diagnosis. The integrated score distinguished cases from controls with an area under the curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.88).

CONCLUSION

An integrated score of 6 proteins using prediagnostic serum from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer screening trial distinguishes postmenopausal endometrial cancer cases from controls. Validation is needed to evaluate whether this test can improve prediction or detection of endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women.

Preoperative PET/CT does not accurately detect extrauterine disease in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk endometrial cancer: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

The identification of extrauterine disease is critical to the management of patients with high-risk endometrial cancer. The purpose of the current study was to determine the accuracy of preoperative positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the detection of extrauterine disease.

METHODS

Women with high-risk endometrial cancer were enrolled prospectively and underwent preoperative PET/CT followed by surgery, including sentinel lymph node biopsy and lymphadenectomy. Primary tumor factors on PET/CT were correlated with lymph node pathology. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated for the detection of lymphadenopathy and peritoneal disease by PET/CT.

RESULTS

A total of 112 patients were enrolled and underwent PET/CT between April 2013 and May 2016, 108 of whom were evaluable. On PET/CT, 21 patients (19.4%) were found to have extrauterine disease, 18 (17%) had positive lymph nodes, and 8 (7%) had peritoneal disease. A total of 108 patients underwent surgery, 103 of whom (95%) underwent lymphadenectomy. The sensitivity of PET/CT to detect positive lymph nodes was 45.8%, with a specificity of 91.1%, positive predictive value of 61.1%, and negative predictive value of 84.7%. The false-negative rate was 54.2%. There was no difference in primary tumor characteristics on imaging noted between patients with positive and negative lymph nodes. The sensitivity of PET/CT to detect peritoneal disease was 37.5%, with a specificity of 97.8%, positive predictive value of 75%, and negative predictive value of 90.0%. The false-negative rate was 62.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative PET/CT did not reliably predict the presence of extrauterine disease in women with high-risk endometrial cancer. Given the high false-negative rates, PET/CT should not be used in the preoperative treatment planning of these patients.

Cancer Antigen 125 Levels are Significantly Associated With Prognostic Parameters in Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) is a highly aggressive subtype of endometrial carcinoma. Histopathologically, it resembles the pattern of serous papillary carcinoma of the ovary. Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) is the most widely used biomarker in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Its use in UPSC evaluation has yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of preoperative serum CA-125 as a prognostic factor in patients with UPSC.

METHODS

The study cohort included all women with UPSC operated in our institution between January 2002 and June 2016. All patients underwent complete surgical staging. Preoperative CA-125 was reviewed and correlated with clinical and pathological parameters.

RESULTS

Sixty-one women met the study criteria. Median preoperative CA-125 was found to be significantly associated with disease stage. Patients with disease stages I to IV had median preoperative CA-125 levels of 12.15, 19.6, 22.6, and 177.5 U/mL (P < 0.0001) respectively. Levels of CA-125 were significantly associated with positive cytology (P < 0.0001), omental disease (P < 0.0001), pelvic or para-aortic lymph node metastasis (P < 0.0001), and adnexal involvement (P < 0.0001). The optimal cutoff that provided the best sensitivity and specificity for omental and parametrial involvement as well as positive cytology was 57.5 U/mL. For adnexal and lymph node involvement, the optimal cutoff value was 41.8 U/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with UPSC, preoperative CA-125 level correlates with known prognostic parameters of endometrial carcinoma and is associated with extrauterine involvement. These data should stimulate the need for further evaluation of the role of CA-125 in predicting recurrence and survival in UPSC.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Clinical Biomarkers for Preoperative Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

In endometrial carcinoma (EC), preoperative classification is based on histopathological criteria, with only moderate diagnostic performance for the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). So far, existing molecular classification systems have not been evaluated for prediction of LNM. Optimized use of clinical biomarkers as recommended by international guidelines might be a first step to improve tailored treatment, awaiting future molecular biomarkers.

AIM

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative clinical biomarkers for the prediction of LNM in endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed according to the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Studies identified in MEDLINE and EMBASE were selected by two independent reviewers. Included biomarkers were based on recommended guidelines (cancer antigen 125 [Ca-125], lymphadenopathy on magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography [¹⁸FDG PET-CT]) or obtained by physical examination (body mass index, cervical cytology, blood cell counts). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), and likelihood ratios were calculated with bivariate random-effects meta-analysis. Likelihood ratios were classified into small (0.5-1.0 or 1-2.0), moderate (0.2-0.5 or 2.0-5.0) or large (0.1-0.2 or ≥ 5.0) impact.

RESULTS

Eighty-three studies, comprising 18,205 patients, were included. Elevated Ca-125 and thrombocytosis were associated with a moderate increase in risk of LNM; lymphadenopathy on imaging with a large increase. Normal Ca-125, cytology, and no lymphadenopathy on ¹⁸FDG PET-CT were associated with a moderate decrease. AUCs were above 0.75 for these biomarkers. Other biomarkers had an AUC <0.75 and incurred only small impact.

CONCLUSION

Ca-125, thrombocytosis, and imaging had a large and moderate impact on risk of LNM and could improve preoperative risk stratification.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Routine lymphadenectomy in clinical early-stage endometrial carcinoma does not improve outcome and is associated with 15%-20% surgery-related morbidity, underlining the need for improved preoperative risk stratification. New molecular classification systems are emerging but have not yet been evaluated for the prediction of lymph node metastasis. This article provides a robust overview of diagnostic performance of all clinical biomarkers recommended by international guidelines. Based on these, at least measurement of cancer antigen 125 serum level, assessment of thrombocytosis, and imaging focused on lymphadenopathy should complement current preoperative risk stratification in order to better stratify these patients by risk.

Ykl-40 and cancer antigen 72-4 as new and promising diagnostic and prognostic markers for endometrial cancer

Objective:

To determine the predictive role of serum levels of YKL-40 and cancer antigen (CA) 72-4 in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer (EC).

Materials and Methods:

Forty-one patients with EC and 21 women with uterine polyps were evaluated between January and December 2015 in a prospective study.

Results:

Age, body mass index, preoperative serum YKL-40 and CA 72-4 levels were significantly higher in the malignant group compared with the control group. Serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in patients with superficial myometrial invasion and no lymph node involvement (p=0.042; p=0.004). No relationship between clinicopathologic factors and serum CA 72-4 levels was found.

Conclusion:

Serum CA 72-4 and YKL-40 levels are increased in women with EC compared with uterine polyps. Preoperative serum YKL-40 levels may be associated with favorable prognostic factors. The determination of YKL-40 before surgery may be helpful in the evaluation of the regional lymph nodes.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Lymphatic Metastasis in Endometrial Carcinoma and Utility of Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Gynecology

Background

The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI) in gynecologic fields. We examined the relation between tumor volume measured with 3D-MRI and lymph node metastasis in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 84 patients with endometrial carcinoma who underwent hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy at our institute was performed. Of these, the tumor volume of 59 patients could be calculated using 3D-MRI. Age, serum CA125 level, histologic type and grade, volume of tumors were examined in relation to pelvic/para-aortic lymph node metastasis as preoperative risk factors. Tumor volume measurements were calculated using 3D-MRI with AqariusNET Server 4G software. Univariate and multivariate associations between the preoperative risk factors and pelvic/para-aortic lymph node metastasis were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the best cut-off points for CA125 levels and tumor volume to predict lymph metastasis.

Results

The mean age, CA125 value and tumor volume were 61.6 years, 51.6 (IU/L) and 11.6 (cm³), respectively. Lymphatic metastasis occurred in 16.0% (10 of 59) patients. Univariate analysis indicated that a high CA125 level and a tumor volume were risk factors (P = 0.0111, 0.0123 respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor volume was an independent risk factor for lymphatic metastasis (hazard ratio (HR) 12.7, 95% CI 1.06 - 154). The potential cut-off values of CA-125 level and tumor volume were 29 IU/L (sensitivity: 0.744; specificity: 0.821) and 12.79 cm³ (sensitivity: 0.821; specificity: 0.744), respectively.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that tumor volume calculated with 3D-MRI correlates with lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma.

Association between Obesity, Surgical Route, and Perioperative Outcomes in Patients with Uterine Cancer

Objective

To study temporal trends of hysterectomy routes performed for uterine cancer and their associations with body mass index (BMI) and perioperative morbidity.

Methods

A retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) 2005-2013 databases was conducted. All patients who were 18 years old and older with a diagnosis of uterine cancer and underwent hysterectomy were identified using ICD-9-CM and CPT codes. Surgical route was classified into four groups: total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), total vaginal hysterectomy (TVH), laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) including both conventional and robotically assisted. Patients were then stratified according to BMI.

Results

7199 records were included in the study. TLH was the most commonly performed route of hysterectomy regardless of BMI, with proportions of 50.9%, 48.9%, 50.4%, and 51.2% in ideal, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients, respectively. The median operative time for TAH was 2.2 hours compared to 2.7 hours for TLH (p < 0.01). The median length of stay for TAH was 3 days compared to 1 day for TLH (p < 0.01). The percentage of patients with an adverse outcome (composite indicator including transfusion, deep venous thrombosis, and infection) was 17.1 versus 3.7 for TAH and TLH, respectively (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

During the last decade, TLH has been increasingly performed in women with uterine cancer. The increased adoption of TLH was seen in all BMI subgroups.

The prognostic role of preoperative serum CA125 levels in patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lifetime risk of developing endometrial cancer is 2.17%. There is controversy regarding the predictive value of Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) in endometrial cancer as well as the significance of its relationship with prognostic factors and appropriate cut-off value.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic role of CA125 in advanced endometrial carcinoma and determination of the appropriate cut-off value.

METHODS

A sample of 91 patients was retrospectively selected from a population of 501 patients suffering from endometrial cancer during 1995 to 2015 in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The relation between clinicopathological variables and CA125 were analyzed. In order to determine sensitivity and specificity of various cut-off levels, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for associated factors confirmed by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In 35% of patients, CA125 values were 35 u/ml, and in 52%, the values were equal to or greater than 20 u/ml. High preoperative CA125 was significantly related with advanced stage, ovarian involvement, omental metastasis, and myometrial invasion equal to or greater than 50%. According to the ROC curve, the suitable cut-off value for CA125 in advanced stage (sensitivity = 73%, specificity = 55%, positive predictive value = 18%, negative predictive value = 78%) and myometrial invasion equal to or greater than 50% (sensitivity = 64%, specificity = 61%, positive predictive value = 47%, negative predictive value = 74%) was 20 u/ml. Further, the suitable cut-off value for CA125 in involvement of the ovaries (sensitivity = 77%, specificity = 72%, positive predictive value = 31%, negative predictive value = 95%) and omental involvement (sensitivity = 70%, specificity = 70%, positive predictive value = 22%, negative predictive value = 95%) was 35 u/ml.

CONCLUSIONS

In endometrial carcinoma, due to the relationship of CA125 with numerous prognostic factors, it is recommended that CA125 measurement be included in preoperative evaluation. In case of high CA125 levels, complete surgical staging including lymphadenectomy and omentectomy should be considered.

HE4 is superior to CA125 in the detection of recurrent disease in high-risk endometrial cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

To date, biomarkers are not routinely used in endometrial cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum HE4 was related to clinicopathological risk factors and outcome. Second, the role of serum HE4 and CA125 was assessed as indicator for recurrent disease during follow-up.

METHODS

A total of 174 patients with endometrial cancer between 1999 and 2009 were selected for this retrospective study. Serum HE4 and CA125 were analyzed at primary diagnosis, during follow-up, and at the time of recurrence. Correlations with clinicopathological factors were studied by univariate and multivariate survival analyses. Lead time was calculated in order to determine which serum marker was elevated prior to clinical detection of recurrent disease.

RESULTS

Serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were significantly associated with high tumor grade, myometrial invasion, lymph node involvement, and advanced stage (p < 0.01). HE4 was an independent prognostic factor for reduced disease-free survival and overall survival with hazard ratios of 2.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.18-7.99) and 3.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.18-9.02), respectively. At recurrence, 75% of the patients had an elevated HE4 compared to 54% with an elevated CA125. HE4 levels were more frequently elevated in patients with distant metastasis compared to local recurrences, 67% and 37%, respectively. Serum HE4 detected a recurrence with a median of 126 days earlier than clinical confirmation.

CONCLUSION

Elevated serum HE4 is an independent risk factor for reduced disease-free survival and overall survival. HE4 seems to be superior to CA125 in the detection of recurrent disease during follow-up, mainly in high-risk endometrial cancer patients who are more prone to distant metastasis.

Preoperative CA-125 predicts extra-uterine disease and survival in uterine papillary serous carcinoma patients

Objective

We determined the clinical utility of preoperative serum CA-125 as predictor of extra-uterine disease and as prognosticator for survival in patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC).

Methods

Patients diagnosed with UPSC, identified between 1992 and 2009, and with preoperative CA-125 measurement were included. A receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to quantify marker performance. Overall and progression free survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Regression analyses were used to investigate the association of preoperative CA-125 levels and other clinicopathological variables with the presence of extra-uterine disease and the effects on survival.

Results

Sixty-six patients met the study criteria. Using ROC, the CA-125 concentration of 45 U/mL as cutoff level provided the best sensitivity (75%) and specificity (74%) for extra-uterine disease, with a positive predictive value of 86%. Survival was significantly longer in patients with preoperative CA-125 =45 U/mL (p<0.001). Only preoperative CA-125 >45 U/mL remained significantly associated with extra-uterine disease (OR=6.30, 95% CI 1.93–20.62). Furthermore, advanced FIGO stage (HR=4.53, 95% CI 1.50–13.62) and preoperative CA-125 >45 U/mL (HR=3.12, 95% CI 1.13–8.73) were associated with decreased survival.

Conclusion

Preoperative elevated serum CA-125 is an independent predictor for the presence of extra-uterine disease and an independent risk factor for survival in UPSC patients.

A New Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Endometrial Cancer: Neopterin

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we investigated the correlation between serum and urinary neopterin levels as well as the stage of the disease in women with endometrial cancer.Increased neopterin concentrations are reported in patients with activation of macrophages by interferon-γ, which includes the following: viral infections, autoimmune disorders, allograft rejection, and various malignant tumors. In patients with several types of cancer, high-neopterin concentrations in body fluids like serum/plasma, urine, ascites, and cerebrospinal fluid indicate the course of the disease, and it is associated with poor prognosis. In the light of foregoing, we aimed to investigate the role of neopterin as a prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum neopterin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and urinary neopterin by high-performance liquid chromatography in 41 patients with endometrial cancer (group 2) and 41 healthy women (group 1).

RESULTS

Increased urinary neopterin levels were observed in patients with endometrial cancer (P < 0.001), and the difference in the urinary neopterin levels between low and high stages of endometrial cancer was significant (P < 0.01; stage I-II vs stage III-IV, respectively). Serum neopterin levels did not show a significant difference in each group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that urinary neopterin levels are relevant in evaluating the endometrial cancer stage and follow-up of the disease. As a result, using neopterin and cancer antigen 125 together would be useful in determining the prognosis of endometrial cancer and its posttreatment progression.

Clinical utility of kallikrein-related peptidases (KLK) in urogenital malignancies

Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLK), which represent a major tissue-associated proteolytic system, stand for a rich source of biomarkers that may allow molecular classification, early diagnosis and prognosis of human malignancies as well as prediction of response or failure to cancer-directed drugs. International research points to an important role of certain KLKs in female and male urogenital tract malignancies, in addition to cancers of the lung, brain, skin, head and neck, and the gastrointestinal tract. Regarding the female/male urogenital tract, remarkably, all of the KLKs are expressed in the normal prostate, testis, and kidney whereas the uterus, the ovary, and the urinary bladder are expressing a limited number of KLKs only. Most of the information regarding KLK expression in tumour-affected organs is available for ovarian cancer; all of the 12 KLKs tested so far were found to be elevated in the malignant state, depicting them as valuable biomarkers to distinguish between the normal and the cancerous phenotype. In contrast, for kidney cancer, a series of KLKs was found to be downregulated, while other KLKs were not expressed. Evidently, depending on the type of cancer or cancer stage, individual KLKs may show characteristics of a Janus-faced behaviour, by either expanding or inhibiting cancer progression and metastasis.

Adjustment of serum HE4 to reduced glomerular filtration and its use in biomarker-based prediction of deep myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer

Background

We investigated the efficacy of circulating biomarkers together with histological grade and age to predict deep myometrial invasion (dMI) in endometrial cancer patients.

Methods

HE4ren was developed adjusting HE4 serum levels towards decreased glomerular filtration rate as quantified by the eGFR-EPI formula. Preoperative HE4, HE4ren, CA125, age, and grade were evaluated in the context of perioperative depth of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer (EC) patients. Continuous and categorized models were developed by binary logistic regression for any-grade and for G1-or-G2 patients based on single-institution data from 120 EC patients and validated against multicentric data from 379 EC patients.

Results

In non-cancer individuals, serum HE4 levels increase log-linearly with reduced glomerular filtration of eGFR ≤ 90 ml/min/1.73 m². HE4ren, adjusting HE4 serum levels to decreased eGFR, was calculated as follows: HE4ren = exp[ln(HE4) + 2.182 × (eGFR-90) × 10^-2]. Serum HE4 but not HE4ren is correlated with age. Model with continuous HE4ren, age, and grade predicted dMI in G1-or-G2 EC patients with AUC = 0.833 and AUC = 0.715, respectively, in two validation sets. In a simplified categorical model for G1-or-G2 patients, risk factors were determined as grade 2, HE4ren ≥ 45 pmol/l, CA125 ≥ 35 U/ml, and age ≥ 60. Cumulation of weighted risk factors enabled classification of EC patients to low-risk or high-risk for dMI.

Conclusions

We have introduced the HE4ren formula, adjusting serum HE4 levels to reduced eGFR that enables quantification of time-dependent changes in HE4 production and elimination irrespective of age and renal function in women. Utilizing HE4ren improves performance of biomarker-based models for prediction of dMI in endometrial cancer patients.

Clinical significance of pretreatment serum levels of VEGF and its receptors, IL- 8, and their prognostic value in type I and II endometrial cancer patients

Objectives

The study aimed to assess the usefulness of the determination of cytokines: IL-8, VEGF and its soluble receptors: VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2 in patients with endometrial cancer (EC).

Material/Methods

The study group consisted of 118 patients with EC subjected to surgical treatment. Before the treatment we determined the serum levels of cytokines IL-8, and VEGF as well as VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 receptors. For comparison, the concentration of CA 125 was also measured. VEGFR1 and CA 125 were determined in the COBAS e601 system using Roche Diagnostics kits, while IL-8, VEGF and VEGFR2 were measured by ELISA assay using R&D Systems kits.

Results

The concentrations of IL-8, VEGF, VEGFR1 and CA 125 allowed to distinguish patients for the control group. The highest diagnostic sensitivity has been shown for the concentrations of VEGF (AUC = 0.904) and IL-8 (AUC = 0.818). Among all studied parameters only CA125 concentrations increased with the clinical stage; being significantly higher in patients in FIGO III-IV, than FIGO I-IB. In patients at the FIGO stage I-IB, complementary determinations of CA 125 and VEGF resulted in the largest increase of diagnostic sensitivity. Patients with metastases to the para-aortic lymph nodes had significantly higher levels of VEGF compared to subjects without such lesions. The concentrations of IL-8 were an independent prognostic factor in the assessment of overall survival in patients with type I endometrial cancer, while the concentrations of VEGFR2 in those with type II.

Conclusions

In patients with endometrial cancer, the clinical usefulness of IL-8 and VEGFR2 measurements as the potential prognostic factors has been demonstrated. In type I, the concentrations of IL-8 determined before treatment can be helpful in predicting overall survival. In patients qualified to type II EC, the concentrations of VEGFR2 have the value of an independent prognostic factor for overall survival, this requires research on larger groups of patients. The increased levels of VEGF may be useful in the preoperative assessment of the status of para-aortic lymph nodes.

Preoperative serum levels of YKL 40 and CA125 as a prognostic indicators in patients with endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the utility of YKL-40 and CA125 in endometrial cancer (EC) patients, and to determine their prognostic value in assessing the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

METHODS

We analyzed seventy-four EC patients, treated at a single institution and 25 healthy individuals. CA 125 serum level was evaluated in the Cobas 6000 system and YKL-40, using the ELISA method.

RESULTS

Significantly increased serum level of YKL-40 and CA125 was in EC patients in FIGO I-IB when compared to healthy controls. CA125 was significantly higher in patients with more advanced FIGO stage vs. FIGO I, and also in patients with lymph node metastases vs. patients with no metastases. The obtained AUC for YKL-40 was higher than for CA125. There was, however, higher diagnostic sensitivity for YKL-40 in comparison to CA125, both in patients with type I and type II tumours. In patients who had disease progression, both the percentage of elevated concentration of CA 125 and YKL-40 was higher than in patients with remission. The Chi2 test demonstrated the statistically significant differences. The predictive value of CA125 in an aspect of DFS and OS was demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS

A high diagnostic sensitivity of YKL-40 in the early stages of the disease suggests the possibility of using this biomarker at an early diagnostic phase of patients with EC. The patients with increased levels of YKL-40 before treatment are also at the higher risk of relapse. The determination of CA125 before surgery may be helpful in the evaluation of the regional lymph nodes, and is a poor prognostic factor for OS and DFS.

Assessment of levels of the tumor markers HE4 and CA125 considering staging, grading and histological types of endometrial cancer

Aim of the study

Aim of the study was to assess statistical differences of serum levels of HE4 and CA125 between certain endometrial cancer stages, grading and histological types.

Material and methods

A retrospective study of 52 patients admitted to our clinic for a surgical operation because of endometrial cancer was performed. HE4 and CA125 were measured for each patient. The staging was done according to FIGO. The statistical difference of serum levels of tumor markers was analyzed considering different stages, grading and histological types.

Results

Most of the patients (92.31%) were post-menopausal. Serum levels of tumor markers were significantly higher among patients with stage IB-IIIC than stage IA, among patients with stages II-III than stage I and among patients with stage IIIC than stage IA-IIIB. Only HE4 was significantly higher among patients with stage IB than stage IA and among patients with grading G2 and G3 than those with G1. Only CA125 was significantly higher among patients with stage IIIA and IIIB than those with stages I and II. There was no statistically significant difference in level of either tumor marker in differentiation of endometrioid from other histological endometrial cancer.

Conclusions

Both tumor markers HE4 and CA125 can be useful additional tools for pre-surgical differentiation between different stages of endometrial cancer. HE4 can predict advanced histological grades. Neither HE4 nor CA125 can differentiate endometrioid from other histological types of endometrial cancer.

The significance of markers in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer is one of the most common cancers experienced by women throughout the world. It is also the most common malignancy within the female reproductive system, representing 37.7% of all disorders. The incidence increases with age, and is diagnosed most frequently in women between 45 and 65 years old. In the last few years, numerous studies have been performed to identify tumour biomarkers. Biomarkers include not only protein routinely used as tumour markers but also genes and chromosomes. The limiting factor in the use of markers in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer is their lack of specificity. However, specific markers for endometrial cancer are the subject of much research attention. Although moderately elevated levels of markers are present in a number of inflammatory or non-malignant diseases, significantly increased levels of markers indicate the development of cancer. Recently, research has been focused on the identification of molecular changes leading to different histological subtypes of endometrial cancer. In this paper the authors reviewed several currently investigated markers. Progress in these investigations is very important in the diagnostics and treatment of endometrial cancer. In particular, the identification of novel mutations and molecular profiles should enhance our ability to personalise adjuvant treatment with genome-guided targeted therapy.

Serum carcinoembryonic antigen as a tumour marker in patients with endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

No potential tumour markers have been validated for prognosis in endometrial cancer. However, carcinoembryonic antigen (cea) is one of the most widely used tumour markers in various types of cancer. Although cea expression in endometrial cancer has been investigated, its prognostic value remains controversial, and no studies have investigated serum cea levels in large case series. In the present study, we investigated diagnostic and prognostic applications of serum cea for endometrial cancer.

METHODS

This prospective study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. Between January 2006 and December 2012, serum cea was measured prospectively in 215 patients with endometrial cancer and was subsequently measured during treatment and at scheduled follow-up examinations in patients with elevated baseline serum cea.

RESULTS

During the study period, 215 patients (142 stage i, 19 stage ii, 32 stage iii, 22 stage iv) were treated for endometrial cancer. By the time of last follow-up, 52 had relapsed (24.2%), and the median follow-up duration was 45 months (range: 1-95 months). Elevated serum cea was identified in 25 patients (11.6%) and was associated with histologic type (p = 0.04), histologic grade (p = 0.03), and myometrial invasion depth (p = 0.01). Elevated serum cea was not related to clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, age, menopausal status, or body mass index. Relapse of disease was related to elevated serum cea (p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum cea is a potential prognostic indicator for endometrial cancer.

Utility of HE4 to identify patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer who may require lymphadenectomy

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to establish whether preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 could be a good predictor for lymphadenectomy in the early stage of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Preoperative serum HE4 and CA125 were measured in 78 postmenopausal patients treated surgically. The ROC curves were generated to determine the optimal cutoff values of HE4 and CA125 levels with optimum sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

Based on ROC curve, we found that the HE4 value of 78pmol/l is the best cutoff to identify candidates who may require lymphadenectomy with the sensitivity of 86.6% and the specificity of 67.2% (NPV=88.4% and PPV=51.2%). The area under the curve (AUC) equals 0.814 (95% CI=0.721-0.886). The cutoff level of CA125 that shows the prognostic indices is 26U/ml, with the sensitivity of 66.6% and the specificity of 61.2% (NPV=69.4% and PPV=44.3%). For CA125 the AUC amounts to 0.671 (95% CI=0.568-0.764). We also found a statistically significant difference, comparing HE4 and CA125 AUC (0.814 vs. 0.671, respectively, p<0.001). The combination of HE4 and CA125 established in our study as the cutoff point has the sensitivity of 81.2% and the specificity of 65.9% with NPV=83.4% and PPV=47.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that in the early stage of endometrioid endometrial cancer, HE4 can serve as a preoperative tool that can help to identify postmenopausal women who may require lymphadenectomy.

Preoperative serum CA125: a useful marker for surgical management of endometrial cancer

Background

Surgery plays an important role in the management of endometrial cancer at all stages, particularly early clinical stage. There are still many unanswered questions regarding optimal surgical management of endometrial cancer, particularly regarding which patients should undergo lymphadenectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of preoperative cancer antigen 125 (CA125) serum levels for surgical management in endometrial cancer patients.

Methods

A total of 995 patients with endometrial cancer, according to inclusion criteria of a preoperative serum level of CA125, were selected. The association between clinicopathological factors and CA125 were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the role of preoperative serum CA125 in predicting lymph node metastasis, adnexal involement, cervical stromal invasion in all patients, especially patients with clinical stage I. Survival analyses were also performed according to the four groups of preoperative CA125 serum levels.

Results

Elevated CA125 level was significantly associated with all clinicopathological parameters, including age and menopause, but not histology type. ROC curve analysis results showed the CA125 serum level of 25 U/mL was the best cutoff to predict the lymph node metastasis. It was with 78% of sensitivity, 78% of specificity, 77.6% of false positive rate, 2.3% of false negative rate in all patients. In patients with clinical stage I, it was with 71.7% of sensitivity, 77.6% of specificity, 83.3% of false positive rate, 2.2% of false negative rate. The best cutoff to evaluate adnexal involement in patients with clinical stage I was 30U/ml, with 81% sensitivity, and 78.4% specificity. Survival analysis revealed CA125, FIGO stage, histology grade, and positive peritoneal cytology as independent prognostic factors of endometrial cancer.

Conclusion

Preoperative serum CA125 is an important predictor for patients with endometrial cancer and it should be taken into consideration when surgical management is determined, especially if a lymphadenectomy should be undertaken in patients with clinical stage I.

Utility of Preoperative CA125 Assay in the Management Planning of Women Diagnosed with Uterine Cancer

Objective. This study assesses the role of preoperative serum CA125 levels in the planning treatment options for women diagnosed with uterine cancer. Material and Method. Ninety five consecutive patients diagnosed with uterine cancer during a four-year period were identified. Age ranged from 35 to 89 years with a mean age of 69 years. The preoperative CA125 levels were dichotomised at 28 U/mL (using ROC analysis to identify the best discriminating threshold for 5-year survival). This level was then correlated with preoperative prognostic indicators: patient age, tumour grade, and histopathological tumour cell type. Survival data was plotted using Kaplan-Meier curves and analysed using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify the predictors of overall survival. Results. The mean age of patients was 69 years (range: 35-89). On univariate analysis, the use of preoperative CA125 levels of greater or less than 28 U/mL correlated significantly with age (P = 0.01), the grade of disease (P = 0.02) and unfavourable tissue type (P = 0.03). This threshold CA125 level had a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 76%, positive predictive value of 35% and negative predicative value of 96.25%, and a likelihood ratio of 3.12 for predicting nodal disease. Using a threshold of preoperative CA125 level of 28 U/mL (area under curve: 0.60) was also a significant predictor of 5-year survival (log-rank test, P = 0.01). Using Cox multivariate survival analysis to identify predictive preoperative factors overall, unfavourable cell type was the strongest predictor of survival (Chi square = 36.5, df = 4, and P = 0.001), followed by preoperative CA125 level (CA125 > 28 U/mL, P = 0.011) and unfavourable preoperative grade (P = 0.017). Amongst patients with a favourable histological tissue type (endometrioid), preoperative CA125 levels predicted overall survival (Chi square = 6.039, df = 2, P = 0.02); however unfavourable preoperative grade did not (P = 0.5). Overall, at five-year follow-up, while there were no deaths among the women with preoperative serum CA125 less than 12 U/mL, eleven of the twenty-three deaths (47.82%) in the study occurred in women with a preoperative CA125 more than 28 U/mL. Conclusions. A preoperative CA125 assay for women with uterine cancer is a relatively inexpensive, reproducible, and objective test which provides valuable information regarding the risk of metastatic disease and overall likelihood of long term survival. Patients with a low likelihood of metastatic/nodal disease (favourable tissue type and CA125 level < 28 U/mL) and significant comorbidities may benefit from avoiding an extended complete staging procedure. Alternatively, a high level of CA125 may prompt further imaging and multidisciplinary discussions to plan for individualised management and consideration for recruitment to clinical trials.

Outcomes of Women With Atypical Glandular Cells on Preoperative Cytology and Endometrial Cancer

Objective

This study aims to examine the prognostic importance of preoperative cervical cytologic diagnosis with atypical glandular cells (AGC) or malignant cells (MC) as a predictor of poor outcomes in endometrial cancer.

Materials and Methods

A total of 563 patients were surgically staged for endometrial adenocarcinoma from 2002 to 2012 at our institution. Of these patients, 106 were included to perform a case-control study (39 patients with AGC or MC and 67 controls). Included patients were not significantly different from excluded patients and were matched for age, race, and body mass index. Outcome variables included presence of extrauterine disease (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage ≥II) and high intermediate risk (HIR) disease. Further analysis sought to improve the prediction combining AGC or MC with other factors, such as grade and CA-125 levels. Standard statistical analyses were used.

Results

Among the patients with AGC or MC, 53.8% had HIR disease compared with 30.3% with normal cervical cytologic diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 2.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–6.09; P = 0.02). Extrauterine disease was found in 43.6% of patients with AGC or MC compared with that of 15.2% in patients with normal cervical cytologic diagnosis (OR, 4.33; 95% CI, 1.72–10.90; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis confirmed that AGC or MC was an independent predictor of HIR disease (OR, 8.41; 95% CI, 1.34–52.78; P = 0.02) and extrauterine disease (OR, 4.78; 95% CI, 1.26–18.1; P = 0.02). The combination of elevated CA-125 levels with AGC or MC cervical cytologic diagnosis increased the statistical prediction of extrauterine disease (OR, 13.3; 95% CI, 3.1–56.8; P < 0.01) and HIR disease (OR, 5.83; 95% CI, 1.44–23.71; P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Patients with AGC or MC on preoperative cervical cytology are at risk for extrauterine and HIR disease. These preoperative findings should warn surgeons of the potential of extrauterine or occult metastatic disease.

HE4 and CA125 levels in the preoperative assessment of endometrial cancer patients: a prospective multicenter study (ENDOMET)

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and CA125 correlate with known high-risk prognostic factors for endometrial cancer.

DESIGN

Prospective multicenter study.

SETTING

Three Danish tertiary gynecological oncology centers.

POPULATION

A total of 352 patients with endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia consecutively referred between 1 September 2009 and 1 January 2012.

METHODS

Preoperative blood samples were obtained from all patients. Biomarker levels were correlated with pathological characteristics of hysterectomy specimens.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

FIGO stage, depth of myometrial invasion, cervical involvement, lymph node metastases, and histological type and grade of tumor.

RESULTS

We found that both HE4 and CA125 were significantly positively correlated with histological grade (HE4: p = 0.002 and CA125: p = 0.027), lymph node metastases (HE4: p = 0.013 and CA125: p < 0.0001), myometrial invasion (p < 0.0001) and cervical involvement (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, a significant increase was found with increasing FIGO stage for both markers (p < 0.0001). In a combined index including age, the diagnostic value increases. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves were higher for the index compared with the markers individually for all our endpoints. The calculated plots for the combined index may assist gynecologists in predicting the risk of deep myometrial invasion, cervical involvement and lymph node metastases. The analyses emphasize that the combined markers should be used in the prediction of prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed that the markers are significantly elevated in patients with prognostic high-risk factors and may, therefore, be used as an additional tool in combination with imaging and clinical information when planning the treatment of endometrial cancer patients.

Predictive value of preoperative serum CA-125 levels in patients with uterine cancer: The Asian experience 2000 to 2012

Objective

Much of the early investigative work on the usefulness of preoperative serum CA-125 levels in identifying patients with early-stage endometrial carcinoma who have occult metastases were carried out in Europe and the United States. This article reviews CA-125 as a possible index for determining the need for full surgical staging, from the results of large medical centers in Asia, particularly Taiwan and Korea.

Methods

A Medline search was performed using CA-125 and endometrial cancer as index words from 1981 to 2012. Those publications felt to be the most important especially from institutions from Asia since 2000 were identified in this review.

Results

Most articles that analyzed the utility of serum CA-125 levels as predictive marker for disease extent or prognosis in uterine cancer used univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, and performed receiver operative curves to find the best cut-off values. The main factor of interest was whether clinicians can stratify patients that need lymphadenectomy in early stage disease. Suggested optimal cut-off value ranged from 20 to 210 U/mL. Not only preoperative CA-125 level, but myometrial invasion status by magnetic resonance imaging was the most significant combined parameter for predicting disease extent.

Conclusion

Elevated CA-125 in patients with apparent early-stage disease is clearly a risk factor for the presence of extra-uterine disease although the optimal cut-off levels vary. The evolution of clinical investigations over the past decade, particularly in Asia, suggests employment of the test in a more focused manner to identify high risk patients preoperatively.

Candidate biomarkers for genetic and clinicopathological diagnosis of endometrial cancer

The recent increase in the frequency of endometrial cancer has emphasized the need for accurate diagnosis and improved treatment. The current diagnosis is still based on conventional pathological indicators, such as clinical stage, tumor differentiation, invasion depth and vascular invasion. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying endometrial cancer have gradually been determined, due to developments in molecular biology, leading to the possibility of new methods of diagnosis and treatment planning. New candidate biomarkers for endometrial cancer include those for molecular epigenetic mutations, such as microRNAs. These biomarkers may permit earlier detection of endometrial cancer and prediction of outcomes and are likely to contribute to future personalized therapy for endometrial cancer.

Amino acid profile index for early detection of endometrial cancer: verification as a novel diagnostic marker

BACKGROUND

Plasma amino acid profiles (PAAPs) vary in individual cancer patients, and it has been suggested that they may be useful for early detection of several types of cancer. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of a profile index for endometrial cancer composed of multiple plasma amino acids as a novel biomarker and compared its diagnostic performance with that of CA125.

METHODS

Plasma amino acid levels of 80 patients with endometrial cancer, 122 with benign gynecological diseases, and 240 age- and body mass index-matched control subjects were measured using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. After univariate analysis, we applied a multiplex model based on the PAAP multivariate analysis to distinguish patients with endometrial cancer from control subjects. We compared the diagnostic performance of the multiple PAAP index (API) with that of CA125.

RESULTS

The levels of several plasma amino acids were significantly different in patients with endometrial cancer. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) used to distinguish endometrial cancer patients from control subjects was 0.94. The AUC for API was significantly larger than that for CA125 (P = 0.0068). For the same specificity of 98.3 %, API showed a significantly higher sensitivity (60.0 %, 95 % CI, 43.3-75.1) than that of CA125 (22.5 %, 95 % CI, 10.1-38.5). In stage I cases, API showed significantly higher positivity than that of CA125 (P = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

The sensitivity and disease specificity of API for early-stage detection of endometrial cancer was superior to CA125. This novel plasma biomarker has the potential to become a diagnostic and screening marker for endometrial cancer.

The diagnostic role of human epididymis protein 4 and serum amyloid-A in early-stage endometrial cancer patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic and predictive efficacy of the human epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) and serum amyloid-A (S-AA) together with the other tumor markers (CA 125, CA 15-3, CEA, and CA 19-9) in endometrial cancer patients. The study group consisted of 64 patients with defined stage and grade of endometrial cancer and 60 women with benign uterine diseases. Thirty-four healthy women were defined as the control group. Fasting blood samples were collected prior to surgery and tumor marker levels were determined in blood samples by E170 autoanalyzer. S-AA concentrations were measured by particle-enhanced immunonephelometry. Preoperative serum HE4 and S-AA levels were significantly higher in endometrial cancer patients than in controls, whereas the other measured parameters were not significantly different. Serum levels of HE4 were related to both the stage and grade of tumor. The best cutoff point for HE4 was determined to be 59.7 pmol/L; with 75 % sensitivity and 65.5 % specificity. For S-AA, the cutoff point was 8.8 U/mL, with 68.7 % sensitivity and 58.6 % specificity. The combination of HE4, CA 125, CEA, and S-AA raised the sensitivity to 84 %. Preoperative measurement of serum HE4 and S-AA may be of help in early detection of endometrial cancer. Preoperative screening with these markers may provide important information about the patient's outcome and prognosis.

Early stage uterine serous carcinoma: management updates and genomic advances

OBJECTIVE

Even in cases of early stage disease, uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is associated with high recurrence rates and a disproportionate number of cancer-related deaths. Prospective data to guide therapy for women with this disease are limited. This article reviews the currently available literature regarding optimal management of women with early stage USC.

METHODS

MEDLINE was searched for all research articles published in the English language from January 1, 1996 through October 30, 2012 in which the studied population included women diagnosed with early stage USC. Although preference was given to prospective studies, studies were not limited by design or numbers of patients in light of the relative paucity of the available literature.

RESULTS

Early stage USC (Stages I-II) is associated with a risk of recurrence that ranges from 0 to 80%, and is related to the amount of residual uterine disease, cervical involvement and adjuvant therapy. Treatment with platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy may decrease the risk of recurrence and may improve survival outcomes; volume directed radiotherapy may also be of benefit. USC highly expresses HER2/neu, a promising and rational target for biologic therapy. Alterations in the PIK3CA/AKT/ mTOR pathway are also of relevance and offer other potential therapeutic targets.

CONCLUSIONS

USC is a unique and biologically aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer, and as such, should be studied as a distinct entity. Prospective trials incorporating traditional chemotherapeutics and radiation as well as targeted therapies are warranted to define the optimal management approach for women with this disease.

The role of novel biomarker HE4 in endometrial cancer: a case control prospective study

The aim of the study was to explore the clinical value of serum human epididymis secretory protein E4 (HE4) and CA125 in endometrial carcinoma. From January 2010 to April 2012, serum specimens were collected from consecutive cases of endometrial carcinoma and from cases of uterus benign disease (control group). The CA125 normal value is considered less than 35 U/mL. Two HE4 cutoff are considered: less than 70 pmol/L and less than 150 pmol/L. The specificity analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test for the CA125 and HE4 series. The level of statistical significance is set at p < 0.05. The sensitivity of CA125 in detecting endometrial cancer is 19.8 %, whereas the sensitivity of HE4 is 59.4 and 35.6 % for 70 and 150 pmol/L cutoff, respectively. Thus the specificity of HE4 is 100 % (positive predictive value = 100 %, negative predictive value = 71.52 and 61.31 % considering the two HE4 cutoff, respectively), whereas the CA125 specificity is 62.14 % (positive predictive value = 33.9 %, negative predictive value = 44.14 %) in detection of endometrial cancer. Combining CA125 and HE4, the sensitivity to detect endometrial cancer is 60.4 and 34.6 %, at HE4 cutoff of 70 and 150 pmol/L, respectively, with a specificity of 100 %. HE4 may be a new tool for preoperative evaluation and postoperative surveillance of endometrial cancer patients, with a positive predictive value = 100 %. HE4 at cutoff of 70 pmol/L yields the best sensitivity and specificity.

The clinical relevance of rising CA-125 levels within the normal range in patients with uterine papillary serous cancer

The utility of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels as an adjunct method of monitoring patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) or endometrial serous carcinoma after surgery and adjuvant treatment has been reported. Our goal was to determine the significance of rising CA-125 levels within the normal range in these patients in the posttreatment surveillance setting. All patients with UPSC who underwent surgical staging and had preoperative CA-125 measurement from 1999 to 2008 were included in this analysis. Information was extracted from records to assess the changes in CA-125 values with clinical and/or radiographic detection of recurrence. Of the 56 evaluable patients, 23 (41%) recurred. Of the 23 patients that recurred, 11 had serial CA-125 levels measured in remission. Elevated CA-125 levels at diagnosis were significantly associated with disease recurrence and advanced stage (P = .01, P = .001, respectively). The rise in CA-125 by 10 U/mL in the normal range and ≥ 15 U/mL were associated with disease recurrence (P < .001, P < .001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, only CA-125 level ≥ 15 U/mL was significantly associated with worse progression-free survival. In this small cohort of patients with recurrent UPSC after remission, surveillance of CA-125 levels may have a role in disease surveillance and management.