Ykl-40 and cancer antigen 72-4 as new and promising diagnostic and prognostic markers for endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive role of serum levels of YKL-40 and cancer antigen (CA) 72-4 in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer (EC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients with EC and 21 women with uterine polyps were evaluated between January and December 2015 in a prospective study. RESULTS: Age, body mass index, preoperative serum YKL-40 and CA 72-4 levels were significantly higher in the malignant group compared with the control group. Serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in patients with superficial myometrial invasion and no lymph node involvement (p=0.042; p=0.004). No relationship between clinicopathologic factors and serum CA 72-4 levels was found. CONCLUSION: Serum CA 72-4 and YKL-40 levels are increased in women with EC compared with uterine polyps. Preoperative serum YKL-40 levels may be associated with favorable prognostic factors. The determination of YKL-40 before surgery may be helpful in the evaluation of the regional lymph nodes.