Diagnostic value of elevated serum carbohydrate antigen 125 level in sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder with unknown etiology, and it predominantly affects the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. For patients with atypical clinical manifestations, the diagnosis of sarcoidosis is difficult and specific biomarkers may play an important role in assisting diagnosis. Previous research has demonstrated a correlation between sarcoidosis and increased carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125), but remains a lack of large cohort studies to validate this observation.AIM To compare serum CA125 levels in sarcoidosis patients and healthy controls, and explore whether CA125 can be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.METHODS In this study, the serum CA125 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 108 consecutive sarcoidosis patients between June 2016 and December 2020(31 males, 77 females;age at diagnosis 49.69 ± 9.10 years) and 112 healthy subjects. Data on the C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and angiotensin-converting enzyme were also collected. The association of serum CA125 levels with clinical, radiological, and respiratory functional characteristics was analyzed between patient groups with CA125 ≤ 35 U/mL or CA125 >35 U/mL.RESULTS We found that serum CA125 levels were higher in sarcoidosis patients compared to healthy controls(median: 44.78 vs 19.11 U/mL, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operator characteristic was 0.9833(95%CI: 0.9717-0.9949), and the best cutoff point was 32.33 U/mL. The elevated serum CA125 was notably associated with the percentage of predicted forced vital capacity(FVC%) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(P =0.043 and P = 0.038, respectively) in sarcoidosis patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that FVC%was a statistically notable predictor of elevated serum CA125(P = 0.029). Also, our research revealed that compared to patients with Stage I of radiology classification, patients with Stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ showed a higher concentration of serum CA125(46.16 ± 8.32 vs 41.00 ± 6.04 U/mL, P =0.005, and 47.92 ± 10.10 vs 41.00 ± 6.04 U/mL, P = 0.002, respectively).CONCLUSION Serum CA125 was highly increased in sarcoidosis patients and showed high efficiency for noninvasive diagnosis of the disease. In addition, abnormally elevated serum CA125 was correlated with pulmonary function and radiological Scadding’s classification of sarcoidosis.

Prognostic value of increased carbohydrate antigen in patients with heart failure

AIM:To study the prognostic value of carbohydrateantigen 125(CA125) and whether it adds prognostic information to N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in stable heart failure(HF) patients.METHODS:The predictive value of CA125 was retrospectively assessed in 156 patients with stable HF remitted to the outpatient HF unit for monitoring from 2009 to 2011.Patients were included in the study if they had a previous documented episode of HF and received HF treatment.CA125 and NT-proBNP concentrations were measured.The independent association between NT-proBNP or CA125 and mortality was assessed with Cox regression analysis,and their combined predictive ability was tested by the integrated discrimination improvement(IDI) index.RESULTS:The mean age of the 156 patients was 72 ± 12 years.During follow-up(17 ± 8 mo),27 patients died,1 received an urgent heart transplantation and 106 required hospitalization for HF.Higher CA125 values were correlated with outcomes:58 ± 85 KU/L if hospitalized vs 34 ± 61 KU/L if not(P < 0.05),and 94 ± 121 KU/L in those who died or needed urgent heart transplantation vs 45 ± 78 KU/L in survivors(P < 0.01).After adjusting for propensity scores,the highest risk was observed when both biomarkers were elevated vs not elevated(HR = 8.95,95%CI:3.11-25.73; P < 0.001) and intermediate when only NT-proBNP was elevated vs not elevated(HR = 4.15,95%CI:1.41-12.24; P < 0.01).Moreover,when CA125 was added to the clinical model with NT-proBNP,a 4%(P < 0.05) improvement in the IDI was found.CONCLUSION:CA125 > 60 KU/L identified patients in stable HF with poor survival.Circulating CA125 level adds prognostic value to NT-proBNP level in predicting HF outcomes.

Diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging parameters and serum tumor markers in rectal carcinoma prognosis

BACKGROUND Rectal carcinoma(RC),one of the most common malignancies globally,presents an increasing incidence and mortality year by year,especially among young people,which seriously affects the prognosis and quality of life of patients.At present,dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)parameters and serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)and CA125 Levels have been used in clinical practice to evaluate the T stage and differentiation of RC.However,the accuracy of these evaluation modalities still needs further research.This study explores the application and value of these methods in evaluating the T stage and differentiation degree of RC.AIM To analyze the diagnostic performance of DCE-MRI parameters combined with serum tumor markers(TMs)in assessing pathological processes and prognosis of RC patients.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on 104 RC patients treated at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from May 2018 to January 2022.Patients were categorized into stages T1,T2,T3,and T4,depending on their T stage and differentiation degree.In addition,they were assigned to low(L group)and moderate-high differentiation(M+H group)groups based on their differentiation degree.The levels of DCE-MRI parameters and serum CA19-9 and CA125 in different groups of patients were compared.In addition,the value of DCE-MRI parameters[volume transfer constant(Ktrans),rate constant(Kep),and extravascular extracellular volume fraction(Ve)in assessing the differentiation and T staging of RC patients was discussed.Furthermore,the usefulness of DCE-MRI parameters combined with serum CA19-9 and CA125 Levels in the evaluation of RC differentiation and T staging was analyzed.RESULTS Ktrans,Ve,CA19-9 and CA125 were higher in the high-stage group and L group than in the low-stage group and M+H Group,respectively(P<0.05).The areas under the curve(AUCs)of the Ktran and Ve parameters were 0.638 and 0.694 in the diagnosis of high and low stages,respectively,and 0.672 and 0.725 in diagnosing moderate-high and low differentiation,respectively.The AUC of DCE-MRI parameters(Ktrans+Ve)in the diagnosis of high and low stages was 0.742,and the AUC in diagnosing moderate-high and low differentiation was 0.769.The AUCs of CA19-9 and CA-125 were 0.773 and 0.802 in the diagnosis of high and low stages,respectively,and 0.834 and 0.796 in diagnosing moderate-high and low differentiation,respectively.Then,we combined DCE-MRI(Ktrans+Ve)parameters with CA19-9 and CA-125 and found that the AUC of DCE-MRI parameters plus serum TMs was 0.836 in the diagnosis of high and low stages and 0.946 in the diagnosis of moderate-high and low differentiation.According to the Delong test,the AUC of DCE-MRI parameters plus serum TMs increased significantly compared with serum TMs alone in the diagnosis of T stage and differentiation degree(P<0.001).CONCLUSION The levels of the DCE-MRI parameters Ktrans and Ve and the serum TMs CA19-9 and CA125 all increase with increasing T stage and decreasing differentiation degree of RC and can be used as indices to evaluate the differentiation degree of RC in clinical practice.Moreover,the combined evaluation of the above indices has a better effect and more obvious clinical value,providing important guiding importance for clinical condition judgment and treatment selection.

Meigs’syndrome caused by granulosa cell tumor accompanied with intrathoracic lesions:A case report

BACKGROUND Meigs’syndrome is regarded as a benign ovarian tumor accompanied by pleural effusion and ascites,both of which resolve after removal of the tumor.Patients often seek treatment in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine or other internal medicine departments due to symptoms caused by ascites or hydrothorax.Here,we report a rare case of Meigs'syndrome caused by granulosa cell tumor accompanied with intrathoracic lesions.CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old women was admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine due to coughing and expectoration accompanied with shortness of breath.Chest X-ray and chest computed tomography showed a modest volume of pleural fluid with pleural thickening in the right lung.The carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)concentration was 150.8 U/mL(normal,0-35 U/mL)and no tumor cells were observed in pleural fluid.Nodules and a neoplasm with a fish meat-like appearance in the parietal pleura and nodules with a‘string of beads’-like appearance in the diaphragm were found by thoracoscopic examination.Furthermore,pelvic magnetic resonance revealed a pelvic mass measuring about 11.6 cm×10.0 cm×12.4 cm with heterogeneous signal intensity and multiple hypointense separations.Total abdominal hysterectomy,bilateral adnexectomy,and separation of pelvic adhesion were performed under general anesthesia.The pathology results showed granulosa cell tumor.At the 2-mo follow-up after the surgery,the hydrothorax subsided,and the CA125 level returned to normal.CONCLUSION For postmenopausal women with unexplained hydrothorax and elevated CA125,in addition to being suspected of having gynecological malignancy,Meigs’syndrome should be considered.

Clinical characteristics and survival of patients with normal-sized ovarian carcinoma syndrome: Retrospective analysis of a single institution 10-year experiment

BACKGROUND Normal size ovarian cancer syndrome(NOCS)is a challenge for clinicians regarding timely diagnosis and management due to atypical clinical and imaging features.It is extremely rare with only a few cases reported in the literature.More data are needed to clarify its biological behavior and compare the differences with abnormal size ovarian cancer.AIM To assess the clinical and pathological features of NOCS patients treated in our institution in the last 10 years and to explore risk factors for relapse and survival.METHODS Patients who were pathologically diagnosed with NOCS between 2008 and 2018 were included.Papillary serous ovarian carcinoma(PSOC)patients were initially randomly recruited as the control group.Demographics,tumor characteristics,treatment procedures,and clinical follow-up were retrospectively collected.Risk factors for progression-free survival and overall survival were assessed.RESULTS A total of 110 NOCS patients were included;80(72.7%)had primary adnexal carcinoma,two(1.8%)had mesotheliomas,18(16.4%)had extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma,and eight(7.3%)had metastatic tumors.Carbohydrate antigen(CA)125 and ascites quantity were lower in the NOCS cohort than in the PSOC group.The only statistically significant risk factors for worse overall survival(P<0.05)were the levels of CA199 and having fewer than six chemotherapy cycles.The 1-year,3-year,and 5-year survival rates were 75.5%,27.7%,and 13.8%,respectively.CONCLUSION The clinical symptoms of the NOCS group are atypical,and the misdiagnosis rate is high.Ascites cytology and laparoscopic exploration are valuable in the early diagnosis to avoid a misdiagnosis.The level of CA199 is the most important predictor of overall survival,and more than six cycles of chemotherapy contributes to the increased survival rates of NOCS patients.