Changes in serum and dialysate levels of Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background : Peritoneal mesothelial cells are the most important intraperitoneal cells quantitatively and have the capability to secret different types of substances. It may therefore be essential to have a 22KDa glycoprotein which is a clinically useful tumor marker of non-mucinous epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Recently, other cells including pleural and peritoneal mesothelial cell have been proved to express CA 125. This study was undertaken to determine whether CA125 can be used as a marker of mesothelial cell mass in clinically stable 39 CAPD patients. Methods : We checked serum and peritoneal dialysate CA125 level, D/P creatinine and D/Do glucose after 4 hours dwell in 39 stable continuous ambulatory CAPD patients. Results : No statistically significant correlation was seen among the patient’s age, sex, serum and dialysate levels of CA125. The dialysate CA125 levels correlated with the duration of CAPD, negatively (r=-0.345, p=0.039) and a significant positive correlation was seen between the duration of CAPD and D/Do glucose at 4 hours (r=0.523, p=0.001). But there were not a correlation between the dialysate CA125 levels and D/P creatinine after 4 hours dwell nor between the dialysate CA125 levels and D/Do glucose after 4 hours dwell. Conclusion : Although the duration of CAPD affects CA125 levels in dialysate, no specific alteration in peritoneal membrance transport properties can be detected or predicted by changes in dialysate concentration of CA125. However longitudinal follow-up of changes in concentration of dialysate CA125 may be useful in evaluating mesothelial cell mass in stable CAPD patients.