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. 2009 Jul 21;23(4):244–248. doi: 10.1002/jcla.20323

Cancer antigen 125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases

Hilmi Ataseven 1, Zeynel Abidin Öztürk 2, Mehmet Arhan 3, Osman Yüksel 4,✉, Seyfettin Köklü 5, Mehmet İbiş 3, Ömer Başar 4, Fatma Meriç Yılmaz 6, İlhami Yüksel 4
PMCID: PMC6649025  PMID: 19623645

Abstract

Background: Cancer antigen 125 (CA‐125) is a tumor marker used for the diagnosis and monitoring of ovarian carcinoma. It can also be elevated in endometriosis, inflammations, and in nongynecological malignancies. Up to date, serum CA‐125 levels in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have not been studied before. Aim: To assess the levels of CA‐125 in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: Serum levels of CA‐125 were investigated in 68 cases with UC (male/female: 47/21), 32 CD (male/female: 21/11), and 31 healthy controls (male/female: 16/15). Levels of CA‐125 were also compared among UC patients according to lesion location, severity, and activity of CD. Results: Serum CA‐125 levels were 17.29±24.50 U/ml, 15.56±20.74 U/ml, and 8.85±2.62 U/ml in patients with UC, CD, and healthy controls, respectively. Serum CA‐125 levels were significantly higher in UC compared to control group (P=0.001). Serum CA‐125 levels were higher in CD patients compared to control group but there was no significance (P=0.087). Serum CA‐125 levels were higher in pancolitis compared to distal type and left‐sided UC. Conclusions: Our data suggest that serum CA‐125 levels may be increased in patients with IBDs. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 23:244–248, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Keywords: cancer antigen 125, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease

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