ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of tumor markers in patients with ovarian mature cystic teratomas. METHOD: Retrospective study of 215 patients operated at Zekai Tahir Burak Women Health Education and Research Hospital between January 2001 and October 2006 was performed. RESULTS: The median age was 36 years (range 13-80). The mean tumor diameter was 7.7 +/- 4.6 cm (range 2-25). The mean serum CA 125 level was 26.2 +/- 29.9 U/mL (range 1.4-225, normal value <35), and the mean serum CA 19-9 level was 83.5 +/- 179.2 IU/mL (range 0.6-1,000; normal value <37). The elevated rate of CA 19-9, CA 125 was 39.6% (74/187) and 23.3% (50/215), respectively. The mean age of patients and the rate of bilaterality of tumors were similar in both patients with elevated CA19-9 and with normal CA 19-9 level (P > 0.05). The mean tumor size of patients with elevated CA 19-9 was greater than those with normal CA19-9 level (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Serum CA 19-9 has the highest positivity rate among other tumor markers in ovarian mature cystic teratomas. Elevated serum CA 19-9 levels are correlated with larger tumor size. But the diagnostic value of elevated CA 19-9 in patients with MCT would be poor if the test was used alone.