Analysis of the levels of CA125, carcinoembryonic antigen, and CA19-9 in the cervical mucus for a detection of cervical adenocarcinoma

Abstract

To verify whether analysis of the levels of CA125, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CA19‐9 in the cervical mucus is effective for a detection of cervical adenocarcinomas or not, simultaneous measurement of these three tumor markers in the cervical mucus samples from women without gynecologic disorders, with leiomyoma, with cervical squamous cell carcinomas, and with cervical adenocarcinomas was performed. Extremely high levels of CA125 with low levels of both CEA and CA19‐9 were demonstrated in the cervical mucus samples from women without gynecologic disorders and with leiomyoma. The cervical mucus samples from cervical adenocarcinomas showed low CA125 levels with extremely high CEA and/or CA19‐9 levels. Therefore, analysis of the levels of these three tumor markers in the cervical mucus possibly helps in the diagnosis of cervical adenocarcinomas if CEA and/or CA19‐9 show extremely high levels. When a ratio of (CEA + CA19–9)/CA125 was calculated, all women without gynecologic disorders and with leiomyoma showed a ratio <0.5, whereas ten of 11 cases of cervical adenocarcinomas had a ratio ≥0.5. Only one case of microinvasive adenocarcinoma showed a ratio <0.5. Accordingly, the ratio ≥0.5 strongly suggested an existence of cervical adenocarcinoma, although it included some cases of squamous cell carcinomas (four of 17 cases).