Serum mesothelin in epithelial ovarian carcinoma: a new screening marker and prognostic factor.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between mesothelin and clinical pathological characteristics and whether mesothelin can be used as a biomarker for the detection and prognosis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma, or not.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pre-operative mesothelin and CA125 levels from normal populations, patients with benign ovarian tumors and patients with ovarian carcinomas were measured. The histopathological characteristics and serum meosthelin, and CA125 levels influencing clinical outcome were evaluated comparatively.

RESULTS: Mesothelin levels were higher in cancer patients than in those with benign ovarian tumors or in normal populations. Mesothelin, also significantly increased from early to advanced stages. Elevated mesothelin before therapy and advanced stage, revealed poorer overall survival (OS) for cancer patients. Elevated mesothelin before therapy also revealed poorer OS in cancer patients with optimal debulking surgery and in advanced-stage cancer patients.

CONCLUSION: Mesothelin might be a new tumor marker for the differential diagnosis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma and a prognostic factorfor the outcome of epithelial ovarian carcinoma patients.