Author/Authors :
Frigy, Attila Department of Internal Medicine IV, G.E - Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy - Science and Technology of Tirgu Mures, Tirgu Mures, Romania , Belényi, Boglárka Department of Internal Medicine IV, G.E - Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy - Science and Technology of Tirgu Mures, Tirgu Mures, Romania , Kirchmaier, Ádám Department of Internal Medicine IV, G.E - Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy - Science and Technology of Tirgu Mures, Tirgu Mures, Romania , Fekete, Nándor Department of Internal Medicine IV, G.E - Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy - Science and Technology of Tirgu Mures, Tirgu Mures, Romania , Adorján Szabó, István Department of Physiopathology - Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy - Science and Technology of Tirgu Mures, Tirgu Mures, Romania
Abstract :
Despite the recent, remarkable achievements in cardiology, heart failure (HF) remains a major public health problem due to its
increasing prevalence, frequent hospitalizations, and significant mortality. Humoral biomarkers in HF are capable to reflect
different aspects of the cardiac morpho-functional changes and the related pathophysiological processes and could have
important diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutical roles. CA-125 is a well-known tumor marker (mainly for ovarian cancer),
and also a useful, but less applied cardiac biomarker. Practical aspects, possible pitfalls related with increased CA-125 levels are
illustrated by two cases, both with HF, with the biomarker determined for other reasons and having high levels in the context of
the cardiac decompensation. The paper presents a short review of the main biochemical, pathophysiological, and clinical data
linked to CA-125, with special accent on its utility in patients with HF.
