Pre-operative sera interleukin-6 in the diagnosis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer
A mass detected in the ovary may have an indeterminate appearance. Frequently surgery and complete removal is required to exclude ovarian cancer. Assessment of blood serum levels of a protein named CA125 has been used to separate between a malignant and benign cause for an ovarian mass. When used as part of a Risk of Malignancy Index there is a false positive rate of 13%*.
This study from Melbourne, Australia looked at markers of inflammation in 68 patients suspected of having ovarian cancer. It has previously been demonstrated that ovarian cancer stimulates an inflammatory response.
Of the 68 women recruited for the study, 33 were subsequently shown to have stage III-IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer. One marker: IL-6 was a good indicator of malignancy. When a high level of IL-6 was measured, no false positive results were noted. The study is limited by the size and the make-up of the study group. Validation, with age-matched controls is indicated.
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