The clinical significance of serum CA-125 measurements in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease has not been investigated. This study showed that serum CA-125 levels were elevated in some patients with NTM pulmonary disease. Further studies are needed to investigate the usefulness of serum CA-125 measurements in patients with NTM pulmonary disease.
Background and objective: Although cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) is a useful marker for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, CA-125 levels are elevated in many benign conditions, including tuberculosis (TB). The clinical significance of serum CA-125 measurements in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease was evaluated.
Methods: Patients with NTM lung disease (n=53), in whom serum CA-125 levels had been measured, were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Twenty-eight patients with pulmonary TB were included as a comparison group. Clinical, radiological and bacteriological parameters were assessed according to serum CA-125 status.
Results: Among 53 patients with NTM lung disease, serum CA-125 levels were elevated in 28 (52.8%), and this proportion was not significantly different from that of the TB patients (44.8%). Cavitation and upper lobe cavitary type disease were more frequent in NTM patients with elevated serum CA-125 levels compared with those without increased CA-125 levels (P<0.05 for both). The clinical course of NTM lung disease was correlated with changes in serum CA-125 levels.
Conclusions: Serum CA-125 levels were increased in significant proportions of NTM patients, as well as TB patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the usefulness of serum CA-125 measurements in patients with NTM pulmonary disease.