Serum YKL-40 levels in patients with ovarian cancer and women with BRCA1 gene mutation - comparison to CA 125 antigen

Purpose of investigation: Our work was undertaken to determine the usefulness of YKL-40 as a tumor marker in patients with ovarian cancer and women with BRCA gene mutations. Methods: Our study population consisted of I I I patients. They were divided into five study groups: I - newly diagnosed ovarian caner, II - recurrence of ovarian cancer, III - complete remission, IV - benign epithelial tumors and V - patients with BRCA I gene mutations. YKL-40 and CA 125 were determined in patient sera. Results: YKL-40 in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients was significantly higher (181.17 n/ml) than in patients with BRCA I gene mutation (97.74 ng/ml, p < 0.01), women with benign epithelial cancer (57.19 ng/ml, p < 0.005) and patients with ovarian cancer at the time of complete remission (58.12 ng/ml, p < 0.005). Taking 124 ng/ml as a cut-off value for YKL-40 (95(th) percentile for healthly women) we observed higher levels in 50% of patients from group I and in 38% from group II. Conclusions: YKL-40 appears to demonstrate no advantage over CA 125 as a biomarker of ovarian cancer, particularly in women with early-stage tumors. More research is needed on carriers of the BRCA I gene muation in view of the elevated YKL-40 concentrations in this group.