Initial assessment of tumor-associated antigen CA-125 in patients with ovarian, cervical, and testicular tumors.

Serum CA-125, a glycoprotein antigen, has been measured in serum of patients with ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or nonseminomatous germ-cell tumor of testis. Increased concentrations were found in 21 of 27 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and two of three patients with ovarian teratoma. Changes in CA-125 concentrations in serum during chemotherapy mirrored the progress of the disease as assessed by clinical and radiological evidence. Although CA-125 provides no real asset for diagnosis, it should have value as a marker for monitoring response to chemotherapy.