Role of Tumor Markers (Ca-125 And Ca19-9) in the Screening of Endometriosis- Case Control Study

Background and Objectives: Endometriosis is a considerable burden to patients in terms of healthcare costs and quality of life. Identification of reliable biomarkers to screen for it would be a great boon. Aim: To evaluate the role of autoimmune markers (CA-125 and CA19-9) in the screening of endometriosis.Material and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care centre over a span of two years. Peripheral blood samples were collected and a quantitative estimation of CA-125 and CA19-9 was performed on them, in a blinded format. The parameters used to analyze the data were: age, education, body mass index, occupation, marital status, parity, family history of endometriosis, nature of menstrual cycle, obstetric history, ultrasonographic findings, laparoscopic findings, and levels of CA-125 and CA19-9. Data was analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software. For significance testing in cross-tabulation tables – chi square test, z-test, and proportion 'p' tests were used. Results: Statistically significant correlation was observed between cases of endometriosis and history of infertility, family history of endometriosis, symptomatology (chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia), USG findings, hystero/laparoscopic findings, and most importantly, raised levels of CA-125 and CA19-9.Conclusion: Serum levels of CA-125 and CA19-9 separately are not very sensitive tests for detection of endometriosis, but are quite specific . Estimation holds promise for future screening and diagnosis of endometriosis, while being minimally invasive.