Diagnostic Power of Selected Cytokines, MMPs and TIMPs in Ovarian Cancer Patients - ROC Analysis

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to identify new non-invasive ovarian cancer (OC) tumor markers.

Materials and methods: In postmenopausal ovarian cancer patients and in a control group (benign ovarian lesions and healthy subjects), preoperative plasma levels of cytokines, metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors were determined using ELISA while those of CA125 and HE4 by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay methods.

Results: The diagnostic sensitivity (SE) value was the highest for HE4 and MMP-7 (78.0%). The diagnostic specificity (SP) for M-CSF, VEGF and MMP-9 was 95.2%, 95.2% and 95.7%, respectively. The highest positive predictive value (PPV) for M-CSF and MMP-9 was ~84.6% and negative predictive value (NPV) for MMP-7 and HE4 was ~87.6%. The biggest areas under the ROC curve were obtained for the combination of VEGF, MMP-7 or MMP-9 with HE4+CA125 (0.9130-0.9234), but not for CA125+HE4 (0.8260).

Conclusion: Our research confirms the validity of combining classic markers with new markers to improve the diagnostic power of CA125 and HE4.

Keywords: Cytokines; MMPs; TIMPs; epithelial ovarian cancer; tumor markers.