Tissue polypeptide-specific antigen and CA 125 as serum tumor markers in ovarian carcinoma

The serum levels of tissue polypeptide-specific (TPS) antigen were measured using the M3 monoclonal antibody in an enzyme immunoassay in 33 patients with ovarian cancer, in 26 women with benign pelvic masses and in 26 women with a laparoscopically proven normal pelvis. The results were compared with the serum levels of the CA 125 antigen. At a cutoff level of 135 U/l for TPS and 20 U/l for CA 125 (95th percentile of the healthy controls), the sensitivity of the tests for detecting a malignant tumor was 77% for TPS and 87% for CA 125. The specificities were 85% for TPS and 92% for CA 125. Adding TPS to CA 125 did not increase the diagnostic values compared to using the CA 125 test alone. For both markers, the rate of positivity was higher in advanced stage than in early-stage ovarian cancer. No correlation between marker levels and survival was found. Serial determinations performed with 4 patients during therapy and follow-up showed that both TPS and CA 125 are good predictors of tumor response and recurrence.