ASCITIC FLUID FOR CA-125

In a study involving 200 patients, CA 125 levels were assessed in peritoneal fluid from individuals with primary ovarian malignancies (35) and benign gynecologic conditions (165). Of these, 86 patients underwent measurements for CA 125 in both peritoneal fluid and serum. Significantly elevated serum CA 125 levels were observed in patients with ovarian cancer compared to those with benign diseases. Moreover, peritoneal fluid CA 125 levels consistently surpassed serum levels, with 93% of ovarian cancer patients exhibiting higher peritoneal fluid levels in paired samples. A threshold of 200 U/ml for peritoneal fluid CA 125 demonstrated robust sensitivity (96%) and specificity (99%) in identifying ovarian cancer patients, while a serum CA 125 cutoff of 35 U/ml exhibited high sensitivity (99%) and specificity (94%) in detecting ovarian cancer patients with ascites. Notably, only two benign cases out of 165 had peritoneal fluid CA 125 levels exceeding 200 U/ml, contrasting with the minimal occurrences of values below 200 U/ml in ascitic fluids from ovarian cancer patients. These findings underscore the potential of peritoneal fluid CA 125 levels as a valuable marker for the follow-up of individuals with ovarian cancer, warranting further investigation and clinical consideration.