Use of Lysophosphatidic Acid in the Management of Benign and Malignant Ovarian Tumors

Objective: To establish whether LPA determination improves the differentiation of benign from malignant ovarian tumors.

Methods: Total LPA and LPA species in the serum were determined using a novel method in 142 patients with ultrasound (US) suspecious ovarian tumors and in 78 healthy women. All women underwent determination of CA125 in the serum, a vaginal US examination and morphology scoring of the tumor.

Results: The levels of total LPA and its species in women with ovarian tumors were significantly higher from those in healthy women (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the levels of total LPA or any of its species between the women with benign and those with malignant ovarian tumors.

Conclusions: Determination of serum LPA would be an appropriate test for ovarian tumor presence, especially in women of reproductive age. The method however does not differentiate benign from malignant ovarian tumors.