# Tumor markers level profile in dermatomyositis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and ovarian cancer

## TL;DR

This study compares tumor marker levels in patients with autoimmune diseases and ovarian cancer to understand cancer susceptibility in these conditions.

## Contribution

The study identifies distinct tumor marker profiles among four autoimmune diseases and ovarian cancer.

## Key findings

- 75% of autoimmune disease patients had at least one elevated tumor marker.
- Tumor marker profiles significantly differ between dermatomyositis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ovarian cancer patients showed higher levels of specific tumor markers compared to autoimmune disease patients.

## Abstract

Autoimmune diseases (AID) have been showed to be susceptibility to malignancy. This study aimed to analyzed the profile of serum tumor markers in four common autoimmune disease.

Patients with dermatomyositis (DM, n = 132), Systemic sclerosis (SSc, n = 77), Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 191), Rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 160) and ovarian cancer (n = 250) were included in this study. Twelve tumor markers (CA724, AFP, FRT, NSE, CA19-9, CA125, CYFRA21-1, CA153, β-HCG and HE4) levels and abnormal rate in these patients were retrospective statistics. The tumor markers profiles were compared among the different AID.

Compared with ovarian cancer (OV) patients, there were no significant differences for the levels and abnormal rates of CYFRA21-1/HE4/CA50/FRT in AID patients. The levels and abnormal rates of CA724/FRT/CA125/NSE were higher in OV patients than that in AID patients. 75% AID patients have at least one elevated tumor marker. 69.46% AID patients have 2–5 elevated tumor markers. All the 12 tumor markers were negative in 16.67, 19.74, 27.23 and 32.70% of DM, SSc, SLE and RA patients. Except CA50, the levels of the other eleven tumor markers were significantly different between DM/SSc/SLE/RA. Except AFP/β-HCG/SCC, the abnormal rate of the other tumor markers were significantly different between these AID.

The increased levels of tumor makers were common in four major AID, and the profile of tumor makers were significantly different among these AID.