ELEVATED SERUM CA-125 CONCENTRATION IN PATIENTS WITH TUBERCULOUS PERITONITIS - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

High serum cancer antigen (CA) 125 levels have been shown to be presen t in patients with ovarian carcinoma, nongynecological cancers, and so me benign diseases and have been used as a useful marker for monitorin g patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, Although tuberculous perito nitis with elevated serum CA 125 levels is an important diagnostic pro blem because it may lead to misdiagnosis as ovarian carcinoma and unne cessary laparatomies, the levels of CA 125 in patients with tuberculou s peritonitis has not been studied in detail. Methods: Serum CA 125 le vels in 11 consecutive patients (2 males, 9 females) with tuberculous peritonitis admitted to Hacettepe University and 20 healthy adult cont rols (7 males, 13 females) were studied, Results: Serum CA 125 levels were found to be elevated in all patients with tuberculous peritonitis , The mean level in the study group was 316.6 IU/ml, whereas the level was 13.8 IU/ml in the control group (p < 0.0001), Serum CA 125 normal ization showed a very close correlation with the response to antituber culous therapy, Conclusions: Tuberculous peritonitis must be considere d in a differential diagnosis of patients with elevated serum CA 125 c oncentration, Correct diagnosis may prevent unnecessary laparatomies p erformed under the assumption of ovarian carcinoma, because it is cure d completely by antituberculous therapy, Serum CA 125 level might be u sed as an effective marker in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with tuberculous peritonitis.