Can the Determination of HE4 and CA125 Markers Affect the Treatment of Patients with Endometrial Cancer?

Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Mar 31;11(4):626. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11040626.

Abstract

The aim of our research was to determine the use of CA125 and HE4 as prognostic factors in patients with different clinical staging of endometrial cancer. Sixty-two patients with advanced endometrial cancer and 287 patients with early stage endometrial cancer participated in the study. Based on the results obtained in the study, the cut-off value for HE4 was established at 186 pmol/l and correlated with the possibility of cytoreductive surgery in patients with recurrent endometrial cancer. Univariate logistic regression revealed that serum concentrations for the median CA125 correlated with DFS (HR = 1.76, p = 0.033) and OS (HR = 1.42, p = 0.025), while the median of HE4 marker correlated with DFS (HR = 1.96, p = 0.015) and OS (HR = 1.83, p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, a decrease in CA125 level below normal range correlated positively with DFS and OS (HR = 1.45, p = 0.026; HR = 1.38, p = 0.037). HE4 levels correlated with DFS as follows: values below the normal range (HR = 2.31, p = 0.01), and with OS (HR = 1.89, p = 0.004). Based on the results obtained in the study, we found that HE4 is a sensitive tool for predicting the risk of recurrence and overall survival in patients with endometrial cancer.

Keywords: CA125; HE4; endometrial cancer; recurrence; serum marker.