[Serum angiogenin concentration in women with adnexal tumors]

Angiogenesis is essential for most solid tumor growth and dissemination. Angiogenin (ANG), a potent new blood vessel formation stimulator may be a potential biomarker of ovarian malignancies. We have analyzed serum concentration of this polypeptide and CA-125 in 78 women with operated because of adnexal tumors. Sixty-five tumors were benign and 13 were malignant. Mean serum concentration of ANG in women with benign tumors and with ovarian cancer 410.8 pg/ml (range: 98.3-956.3 pg/ml) and 469.1 pg/ml (range: 65.3-1103.0 pg/ml), respectively. There were no significant differences in ANG concentrations between the groups, also we have not found any correlation with serum CA-125 levels assayed preoperatively. We conclude that serum angiogenin levels are not a useful predictor of ovarian malignant tumors.