The association of serum CA-125 level and severity of dysmenorrhea with lesion depth in adenomyosis

Jang, Seog Hyun; Ann, Tae Soon; Oh, En Sung; Sim, Jae Hag; Paik, Ae Lan; Weon, Jong Cheon; Jung, Kang Woo; Kim, Yong Pil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of level of CA-125 and severity of dysmenorrhea with lesion depth in adenomyosis.
METHODS
Sixty-eight women who had undergone hysterectomy and were found to have pure adenomyosis on histopathologic examination were reviewed retrospectively. Specimens were stratified according to the degree of adenomyosis penetration into 4 groups: group A consisted of specimens with adenomyosis penetration into myometrium of up to 25%; group B, 26-50%; group C, 51-75%, and group D, >75%. All women were submitted to serum determination of CA-125. Severity of dysmenorrhea was assessed by means of a modification of 10-point verbal rating scale.
RESULTS
Each group was not correlated with severity of dysmenorrhea (p=0.7394 Fisher's exact test). The means of serum CA-125 levels was increased corresponding to depth of adenomyosis (p=0.0441 ANOVA test).
CONCLUSION
In this study, serum CA-125 level is associated with the depth lesion and severity of dysmenorrhea is not. Therefore, the level of serum CA-125 might be useful indicator in management of adenomyosis before surgery.