CA-125: a marker for persistent gestational trophoblastic disease?

The objective was to determine whether CA-125 levels have any clinical utility in gestational trophoblastic disease. Fifty-one patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole had a CA-125 level obtained prior to suction molar evacuation. Data were analyzed using chi 2 and Mann-Whitney U test. CA-125 levels were twice as high in persistent gestational trophoblastic disease than those in complete hydatidiform molar patients (85.9 vs 48.3 U/ml; P = 0.004). CA-125 levels were independent of age, gravidity, weeks of amenorrhea, or presence of thecal-luteal cysts. CA-125 levels appear to be of value in predicting which molar patients will develop persistent disease.