Serum VEGF-C Combined with CA125 Assay for Detecting Lymph Node Metastasis of Ovarian Cancer

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum VEGF-C, CA125 level and retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis of ovarian cancer patients. Aiming at finding the serological indicator which can predict retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis of ovarian epithelial cancer. MethodsBefore the treatment, ovarian epithelial cancer patients' serum VEGF-C and CA125 level were tested by ELISA and electrochemiluminescence respectively. Experimental group consisted of 66 cases of ovarian cancer patients who had accepted the retroperitoneal lymph node cleaning surgery, and the control group were 53 cases of benign ovarian tumor patients. ResultsPositive correlation was found between serum CA125 and VEGF-C level (r=0.36，P<0.05). Both serum levels of CA125 and VEGF-C in ovarian cancer patients were significantly higher than those in patients with benign ovarian tumor（P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively）；serum CA125≤756 ku/L group, retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis rate（32.4％）was less than （59.4％）（P＝0.028） of CA125>756 ku/L group. At the initial diagnosis, the rate（34.37%）of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis of ovarian epithelial cancer patients with serum VEGF-C≤2 400 pg/ml was less than that （55.9％） of patients with serum VEGF-C>2 400 pg/ml，but the difference was not statistically significant （P=0.079）.As for ovarian epithelial cancer patients, there were 18 cases in serum VEGF-C≤2400pg/ml and CA125≤ 756 group, and the retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis rate was 27.78％ at the initial diagnosis. meanwhile, there were also 18 cases in serum VEGF-C>2400pg/ml and CA125>756 group, but the retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis rate was 77.78％, the difference was statistically significant （P=0.022）. Conclusion The serum level of CA125 might play as the reference indicator for the prediction of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer. Combination detection of serum CA125 and VEGF-C will do better in predicting retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis of ovarian cancer.