Tumor Markers and Their Diagnostic Significance in Ovarian Cancer.
Alkis MatsasDimitrios StefanoudakisTheodore TroupisKonstantinos KontzoglouMakarios EleftheriadesPanagiotis ChristopoulosTheodoros PanoskaltsisEleni StamoulaDimitrios C IliopoulosPublished in: Life (Basel, Switzerland) (2023)
HE4, when combined with CA-125, shows improved sensitivity and specificity, particularly in early-stage detection. Additionally, hCG holds promise as a prognostic marker, aiding treatment response prediction and outcome assessment. Novel markers like microRNAs, DNA methylation patterns, and circulating tumor cells offer potential for enhanced diagnostic accuracy and personalized management. Integrating these markers into a comprehensive panel may improve sensitivity and specificity in ovarian cancer diagnosis. However, careful interpretation of tumor marker results is necessary, considering factors such as age, menopausal status, and comorbidities. Further research is needed to validate and refine diagnostic algorithms, optimizing the clinical significance of tumor markers in ovarian cancer management. In conclusion, tumor markers such as CA-125, CA15-3, CA 19-9, HE4, and hCG provide valuable insights into ovarian cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis, with the potential to enhance early detection.