Elevation of CA 19-9 and chromogranin A, in addition to CA 125, are detectable in benign tumors in leiomyomas and endometriosis

Abstract

As the best-known tumor marker for ovarian carcinoma, CA 125 has also been commonly used to monitor patients with common benign gynecologic diseases such as endometriosis and leiomyoma. Both of these benign tumors are known to be at risk of developing into cancer. During the screening of an asymptomatic population with multiple tumor markers, including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), CA 125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, chromogranin A (CgA), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), we have detected elevated tumor markers in 142 individuals; 19 of them were diagnosed with endometriosis or leiomyoma or both. In addition to the detection of elevation of CA 125 in these benign tumors, elevated CA 19-9 or CgA was also found in these patients with endometriosis or leiomyoma. Many patients only had elevated CA 19-9 or CgA; the elevation of CA 125 was not detected. It appears that instead of monitoring only CA 125, as is traditionally done, multiple tumor markers, including CA 19-9, CgA, and CA 125, should be measured simultaneously in women with clinical disorders associated with the ovary or uterus in order to detect gynecologic benign tumors and in order to prevent further development of cancer.