Immunosuppressive acidic protein in patients with ovarian cancer

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Abstract
Serum immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) was determined in 63 patients with ovarian tumors (33 benign and 30 malignant) and 79 healthy female controls, and was examined as a marker for ovarian cancer in comparison with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The mean value of serum IAP in patients with ovarian cancer (1085 ± 474 μg/ml) was statistically higher than those of both benign tumors (394 ± 93 μg/ml) and controls (298 ± 92 μg/ml). Elevated levels of IAP and CEA were found in 93.3% and 30.0% of patients with ovarian cancer, respectively. There were three false‐positive cases with IAP and two with CEA. Elevation of IAP was recognized in all cancer patients in Stage I, whereas 33.3% of these patients showed elevated CEA. The occurrence of elevated serum IAP was not affected by tumor histologic features. Serial IAP determination appeared to provide a useful follow‐up marker in patients in whom CEA was low in value. The measurement of serum IAP is highly recommended as an addition to the conventional diagnostic methods. Cancer 52:2081‐2085, 1983.