Diagnostic value of serum CA125 in liver carcinoma

AIM To study the diagnostic value of serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) in liver carcinoma. METHODS Thirty two patients with liver carcinoma (male 20, female 12, average age 46±25 years), 36 cirrhosis (male 27, female 9, average age 42±23 years) and 40 healthy persons as controls were studied. Blood samples were taken by venipuncture. Serum was separated and frozen at -20℃ until the analysis was made. Serum CA125 was measured by IRMA. RESULTS Serum CA125 in liver cancer (218U/L±130U/L) was significantly higher than that in cirrhosis and normal controls (19U/L±11U/L and 10U/L±8U/L, P 0 01). In cirrhosis group it was higher than that of normal controls ( P 0 05), but was markedly lower than in liver carcinoma group ( P 0 01). When 26U/L was taken as the cutoff value, the positive rate in liver cancer group was 68 7%. The positive rate of serum CA125 in liver carcinoma with positive AFP (AFP400μg/L) was 76 0% and that with negative AFP (AFP20μg/L) was 42 9%. CONCLUSION CA125 is a better tumor marker in the diagnosis of liver carcinoma.