OVARIAN-CARCINOMA SERUM MARKERS AND OVARIAN-STEROID ACTIVITY - IS THERE A LINK IN OVARIAN-CANCER - A CORRELATION OF INHIBIN, TETRANECTIN AND CA-125 TO OVARIAN ACTIVITY AND THE GONADOTROPIN-LEVELS

In a previous study, we have demonstrated that inhibin-production may be associated with improved survival and, also, that tetranectin (TN) is a valuable prognostic marker in ovarian epithelial cancer. We inves tigated the possible correlation between inhibin, tetranectin, CA-125, ovarian steroid activity and the gonadotropin levels. Preoperative se rum levels of the tumor markers inhibin, tetranectin (TN) and CA-125 w ere measured and related to ovarian steroid function: and the pituitar y-gonadal axis (gonadotropin levels) in 28 postmenopausal ovarian canc er patients. The following median levels and 95% confidence limits wer e demonstrated for the tumor markers: Inhibin 0.4 U/l (0.2-0.9), TN 8. 9 mg/l (6.8-9.2), CA-125 160 kU/l (75-687). A significant inverse corr elation was demonstrated between inhibin and the gonadotropins. The Sp earman correlation coefficients showed a highly significant correlatio n of inhibin with the examined ovarian steroid hormones except DHEAS w hich also has a suprarenal component. This indicates a synthesis of in hibin and the steroid hormones from the same cell compartment as known from the normal ovary and an apparently intact negative feed back mec hanism. Inhibin may be produced in the normal ovary as a defense mecha nism against an elevated gonadotropin level and inhibin acts by loweri ng the gonadotropins or by altering their biological activity, Elevate d values of the tumor markers TN and CA-125 due to gonadotropin stimul ation could not be demonstrated but a significant inverse correlation between TN and CA-125 was confirmed.