Serum levels of different tumour markers in patients with chronic heart failure

BACKGROUND: serum levels of carbohydratic antigen 125 (CA 125), a tumour marker related to ovarian cancer, are increased in patients with heart failure (CHF). To our knowledge there are no data concerning the levels of other tumour markers in CHF. METHODS: we measured serum levels of Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP), Carcinoembrionic antigen (CEA), CA 19.9, CA 15.3 and CA 125, in 191 pts (86 males, mean age 67+/-10 years) with mild to severe CHF due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. RESULTS: Only CA-125 was increased in CHF patients: mean values were significantly higher (P<0.05) in NYHA classes III (60+/-22 UI/ml) and IV (192+/-115 UI/ml) compared to NYHA class I-II patients (16+/-11). Mean values of the other tumor markers were within the normal range. AFP was above the upper normal limit in 2/191 patients (1%), CEA in 5/191 (2.6%), CA 19.9 in 0, CA 15.3 in 2/191 (1%) and CA 125 in 126/191 patients (66%). In 30 NYHA IV patients, tumour markers were repeated after 5-20 days of aggressive medical treatment, when a clinical improvement (reduction of at least 1 NYHA class) was reached: mean serum levels of CA 125 decreased from 107+/-85 to 19+/-8 U/ml (P<0.05); no changes in other tumour markers were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Of the tumour markers evaluated, only CA 125 seems to be related to the presence and severity of CHF and shows significant changes in response to medical therapy. The biologic and clinical relevance of this observation needs to be defined.