Serum Levels of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen and Ovarian Carcinoma Antigen (CA 125) in Patients with Benign and Malignant Diseases of the Uterine Cervix

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Abstract
In the present study we evaluated the clinical usefulness of the tumor antigens, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and ovarian carcinoma antigen (CA 125), in populations of patients with benign and malignant cervical disease. SCC and CA 125 levels were determined in the serum of 59 patients with invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix and in 21 patients with benign cervical diseases. Before treatment of cervical cancer, SCC levels were elevated in 63% of the patients with squamous cell cancer while all 5 patients with adenocarcinoma had normal levels. CA 125 levels were elevated in 21% of the patients with cervical squamous cell cancer and in 3 of the 5 cases of adenocarcinoma of the cervix. In patients with benign cervical diseases, only 1 had a positive SCC level and none were positive for CA 125. No correlation was found between SCC levels and histological differentiation or clinical stage. In positive patients, serial SCC determinations correlated with the clinical course in 72.2%. Increasing levels were always associated with progression and increased on average 3 months before there was clinical evidence for disease progression. It is concluded from these studies that SCC levels are a useful marker for cervical cancer progression and recurrence. Levels of CA 125 were more likely to be elevated in patients with adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma, but when elevated in these latter patients, it also tended to predict tumor recurrence.

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