[Usefulness of CEA, CA 15-3 and CA 125 tumor markers in the differential diagnostics of peritoneal effusion].

To differentiate malignancy-related from non-malignant exudate is important for cancer diagnosis, determining clinical stage of the disease, establishing treatment strategy, and also for prognosis. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 15-3 and CA 125 levels were analysed in plasma and in peritoneal fluid of 37 cancer patients (13 with breast cancer, 18 with ovarian cancer and 6 with colorectal cancer) and 15 patients with peritoneal fluid not related to malignancy. CEA, CA 15-3 and CA 125 were measured by electrochemiluminescence assay (ECL). The results were correlated with cytological and histological findings as well as clinical data. Initial observations indicate that the analysis of tumour markers CEA, CA 15-3 and CA 125 may be useful in the differential diagnosis of peritoneal effusion.