CA 195: a new monoclonal antibody-defined Lea blood group-related tumor marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

The levels of CA 125 (reference values [RV]s = 35 U/mL and 65 U/mL), CA 19.9 (RV = 40 U/mL), CA 50 (RV = 20 U/mL) and CA 195 (RVs = 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL) were measured in blood samples collected before laparotomy from 71 patients with ovarian carcinoma and 204 patients with benign ovarian pathology as controls. CA 125 levels greater than 35 U/mL were observed in 53/61 patients with non-mucinous carcinomas and in 6/10 with mucinous ones, while antigen levels above 65 U/mL were detected in 50/61 patients with non-mucinous malignancies and in 6/10 with mucinous ones; therefore mucinous tumors expressed this antigen less frequently than non-mucinous ones. Elevated CA 19.9 levels were found in 15/61 patients with non-mucinous malignancies and in 8/10 with mucinous ones. Raised CA 50 levels were observed in 13/50 patients with non-mucinous cancers and in 7/8 with mucinous ones. CA 195 values were greater than 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL respectively in 20.0% and in 15.0% of 40 patients with non-mucinous tumors, while antigen levels were above 10.5 U/mL and 15 U/mL respectively in 75.0% and 62.5% of 8 patients with mucinous carcinomas. Therefore, CA 19.9, CA 50 and CA 195 highly correlated with mucinous histotype. The results of CA 195 and CA 19.9 determinations were very similar because of the closely related: structures of the two epitopes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)