Role of cancer antigen 125 in active pulmonary tuberculosis

BackgroundConventional TB diagnosis continues to rely on smear microscopy, culture and chest radiography. Other non-conventional approaches include detection of immunological response and the search for biochemical markers. Cancer antigen 125 (Ca-125) was evaluated mainly in patients with extra pulmonary TB.ObjectiveThis study was designed to detect the role of Ca-125 in differentiating pulmonary tuberculosis from other pulmonary infections. Also to determine the value of Ca-125 was an indicator of response to anti-tuberculous drugs.DesignEighty patients were included in the study, 27 with active pulmonary TB and 33 with other pulmonary infections. Twenty healthy volunteers were used as a control group. Measurement of serum Ca-125 was performed once in all groups, it was re-assayed after 4 months of anti-tuberculous drugs among patients with active pulmonary TB.ResultsThere was a significant increase of Ca-125 among patients with active pulmonary TB than the other groups, which decrease significantly after anti-tuberculous drugs. The sensitivity and specificity of Ca-125 were found to be 81.4% and 95%, respectively, at a 34.6 U/ml cut-off point.ConclusionCa-125 can be a useful marker in differentiating pulmonary TB from other pulmonary infections and in assessment the response to anti-tuberculoussis drugs.