ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Serum CA125 (sCA125) was recently reported to be of clinical value in the staging and follow-up of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). This report aims to investigate the prognostic value of a new serologic index combining sCA125 and LDH serum levels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven patients were studied, sixty-three with histologically proven low-grade NHL, and seventy-four with a high-grade subtype. RESULTS: sCA125 and LDH levels were elevated in more than one third of patients. sCA125 was more frequently increased than LDH in low-grade NHL. In this group, complete remission (CR) was achieved in 87, 45, and 0% (P = <2 x 10(-6)) of patients with normal sCA125 and LDH serum levels (Low-risk group), one parameter increased (Intermediate-risk group), and increased sCA125 and LDH serum levels (high-risk group), respectively. The estimated five-year overall survival was 97%, 67% and 22% for low, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively. This combination was the only parameter predictive of RFS and OS in multivariate analysis (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study the combination of s-LDH and sCA125 levels (normal vs. abnormal) was found to be an important prognostic factor in low-grade lymphoma and may be used in the selection of appropriate therapeutic approaches for individual patients.