Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the difference between benign and malignant ovarian tumors through measurement of preoperative serum neopterin and CA 125 levels and to evaluate the correlation between serum neopterin levels and prognosis.
Methods: Preoperative serum neopterin levels were measured in 55 ovarian tumors. Of these, 29 malignant tumors were studied over a 3-year follow-up period.
Results: Statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences in neopterin levels between those with benign or malignant ovarian tumors, and different survival rates between the 11 patients whose preoperative neopterin levels were > or = 7.9 nM/l and the 18 patients whose preoperative neopterin levels were < 7.9 nM/l (P < 0.01). The sensitivity of preoperative serum neopterin levels (> or = 7.9 nM/l) in detecting malignant ovarian tumors was 37.9%, the specificity was 96.1%, the positive predictive value 72.0%, the negative predictive value 63.3% and the diagnostic efficiency 65.4%, and those of preoperative serum CA 125 levels (> or = 35 U/ml) in detecting malignant ovarian tumors were 62.1%, 73.1%, 91.7%, 58.1% and 85.5%, respectively.
Conclusions: Measurement of preoperative serum neopterin levels helped to discriminate between benign and malignant ovarian tumors and was related to ovarian cancer survival. In particular the combination of CA 125 and neopterin measurements showed a better sensitivity for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer than neopterin alone.