SERUM CA-125 LEVELS AND SONOGRAPHY IN THE PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT OF MYOMETRIAL INVASION OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

Objective To assess the value of elevated serum CA 125 levels and ultr asonography in predicting deep myometrial invasion of endometrial canc er. Design We assessed pre-operatively serum CA 125 levels and myometr ial invasion by ultrasonography in women undergoing laparotomy because of endometrial cancer. The results were compared with histological de termination of myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. Invasion was classified as superficial (less than one-half of myometrium involved) or deep (more than one-half of myometrium involved). Setting Universi ty hospital. Subjects Seventy-eight women with a histologically proved endometrial carcinoma confined to the uterus: nine had Stage IA disea se, 45 Stage IB, five Stage IC, one Stage IIA, four Stage IIB and 14 S tage IIIA. The myometrial invasion was found to be superficial in 57 ( 73 %) patients and deep (more than half) in 21 (27 %), respectively.