Significance of laboratory studies for ruling out metastases in primary endometrial carcinoma

At the time of initial diagnosis of endometrial cancer, therapeutic decisions depend on the recognition of remote metastases. Tumor markers and hepatic enzymes are frequently used to screen for metastases. This study aimed to assess the clinical value of serum concentrations of tumor markers and liver enzymes.

Laboratory test results from all patients with the initial diagnosis of endometrial cancer treated in our department between 1990 and 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Hepatic enzyme levels and tumor markers relevant for endometrial cancer were recorded. Analysis of variance and post hoc tests were used to rule out or to confirm systematic differences. Significances were examined by the Mann-Whitney test.

A total of 336 women were included in the analysis. Recorded data included serum concentrations of alanine aminotranspherase (ALT) (n = 228), aspartate aminotranspherase (AST) (n = 289), gamma-glutamyltranspherase (Gamma-GT) (n = 176) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) (n = 86). The following tumor markers were analysed: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (n = 182), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) (n = 40), cancer-associated serum antigen (CASA) (n = 10), CA 15-3 (n = 5), CA 19-9 (n = 21), and CA 125 (n = 28). Only CEA serum levels differed significantly between patients with endometrial cancer and hepatic and pulmonary metastases at the time of initial diagnosis and patients without metastases.

Our data show that neither the level of the tumor markers CEA, SCC, CA 15-3, CA 125, CA 19-9, CA 72-4 and CASA nor the hepatic enzymes AST, ALT, Gamma-GT and AP in routine evaluation accurately predict the presence of remote metastases.