Serum CA125 and PSA concentrations in patients with lymphoma

Serum determinations of CA125 and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) have been useful in monitoring the status of ovarian and prostate cancer, respectively. However, these antigens are not specific for these neoplasms and ignorance of that fact may lead to confusion in certain settings. Serum CA125 can be elevated in many benign and malignant conditions in which coelomic epithelium is involved. Although lymphoma cells do not secrete CA125, several investigators have reported serum elevations of CA125 in as many as 40% of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), particularly when peritoneal, pleural, or pericardial effusions are present. In such patients, CA125 levels appear to correlate with disease activity, whereas levels prior to treatment have correlated with disease-free and overall survival in some, but not all, studies. A number of investigators have suggested including serum CA125 levels in prognostic indices for lymphoma. PSA elevations have been reported in patients with NHL less frequently than CA125 elevations, but the PSA in such cases appears to be secreted by the lymphoma cells themselves. The available data are reviewed here.