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Serum HE4 superior to CA125 in predicting poorer surgical outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains the deadliest form of gynecological cancers. Optimal tumor debulking, no matter the primary or the interval, is the most important prognostic factor for EOC, so there is an urgent demand for biomarkers to predict surgical outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) could predict surgical outcome of EOC. The levels of preoperative serum HE4 and CA125 were determined by electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) in 82 EOC patients, comprising 39 subjected to primary debulking surgery (PDS) and 43 with extensive stage III or IV disease to neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery (NACT-IDS). Among 39 patients subjected to primary debulking surgery, HE4 was superior to CA125 in predicting surgical outcome (area under curve [AUC] 0.758 vs. 0.633). At a cutoff of 353.22 pmol/L, HE4 reached 77.4 % in sensitivity and 75 % in specificity. The prediction of surgical outcome of interval debulking surgery based on preoperative HE4 and CA125 values was performed in 43 patients who received NACT-IDS. The difference of AUC between HE4 and CA125 (0.793 vs. 0.663) indicating that HE4 was the better biomarker to predict surgical outcome of IDS. A pre-IDS HE4 value of 154.3 pmol/L is the optimal cutoff to identify patients who would not benefit from IDS with a sensitivity of 92.9 % and a specificity of 69 %. The change (>70 %) of HE4 before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy could predict optimal interval debulking surgery. Serum HE4 was superior to CA125 in predicting surgical outcome of primary debulking surgery and interval debulking surgery. The change (absolute value or percentage) of HE4 in neoadjuvant chemotherapy could predict the outcome of interval debulking surgery.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Guilin research and technology development project (No. 20150126-4-4). This was also supported by the Department of Gynecologic Oncology of the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology, Guilin People’s Hospital, No. 12 Civilization Road, Guilin, The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 541002, China

    Ying Shen

  2. Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No. 71 Embankment Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning, The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, China

    Li Li

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Correspondence to Li Li.

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This study was funded by Guilin research and technology development project (No. 20150126-4-4).

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Shen, Y., Li, L. Serum HE4 superior to CA125 in predicting poorer surgical outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer. Tumor Biol. 37, 14765–14772 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-016-5335-0

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