CA-125 Significance in Cirrhosis and Correlation with Disease Severity and Portal Hypertension: A Retrospective Study

Background and Aims: To evaluate the prevalence and significance of elevated cancer antigen-125 (CA-125) levels in patients with cirrhosis being treated in a tertiary care liver center and its correlation with objective markers of disease severity. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 172 adult patients with cirrhosis (due to any etiology) after obtaining CA-125 serum analysis. Demographics, etiology of cirrhosis, model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, Child’s Turcotte-Pugh classification, albumin bilirubin (ALBI) score, degree of ascites, presence of esophageal varices, serum CA-125 level and various other parameters were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software and descriptive statistics. Results: Elevated CA-125 levels were noted in 147 patients (85%) of the study population. Higher MELD score was associated with higher CA-125 levels (p = 0.001). Statistically significant correlation was observed between elevated CA-125 levels and degree of ascites (p < 0.001), ALBI score (p < 0.001) and Child’s Turcotte-Pugh class (p < 0.001). No correlation was observed with presence or absence of esophageal varices. Near-normal CA-125 levels were noted in patients with cirrhosis but undetectable ascites on ultrasound imaging. No differences were observed in mean values between male and female patients (p = 0.207). Regression analysis confirmed that CA-125 levels had a better correlation with degree of ascites than MELD score or ALBI score. Conclusions: Elevated CA-125 levels were noted in 85% of patients with cirrhosis at our center. Our study establishes that the more advanced the degree of decompensation based on MELD score, Child’s Turcotte-Pugh classification and ALBI score, the higher the elevation in CA-125. Absence of ascites was associated with normal CA-125 level, with a direct correlation between high levels and worsening ascites, but there was no statistically significant correlation with esophageal varices, indicating that elevated CA-125 levels could be related to mechanical stretch of the peritoneum rather than portal hypertension itself. Further multi-centered studies are required to confirm and validate these findings.