Serial determinations of aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) and prognosis in ovarian cancer; comparison to CA125

During malignant growth many changes fake place in the metabolism of fibril lar type III collagens in the connective tissues. The aminoterminal propept ide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) has been found to be often elevated in ovarian cancer. In the present study the prognostic value of serum PIIINP concentration in epithelial ovarian cancer is evaluated in relation to seru m CA125. Fifty-sir women were enrolled in the study. Serial venous blood sa mples were taken preoperatively and 6, 9 and 12 months after operation for PIIINP and CA125 determinations. The results were correlated to the three-y ear survival. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis the preoperative (P= 0.0422 ), 9-month (P=0.0062) and 12-month (P=0.0062) serum PIIINP concentration di stinguished between the patients with good and poor prognosis while CA125 d id so only at 9-(P=0.0005) and 12-month (P<0.0001) follow-up. In the multiv ariate analysis the independent predictors of prognosis were the preoperati ve PIIINP and 12-month CA125 concentrations. The percentage changes in seru m PIIINP concentration did not differentiate the patients with good or poor prognosis at any time point, whereas the changes in CA125 concentration si gnificantly divided the patients into two prognostic groups during the seco nd half of the postoperative year We found that PIIINP and CA125 are comple mentary to each other as predictors of prognosis in epithelial ovarian canc er as preoperative PIIINP was better than CA125 and 1-year CA125 better tha n PIIINP in this function.