Serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing second-look laparotomy.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of macrophage colony-stimulating factor serum levels in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing second-look laparotomy. The presurgical serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor from 33 consecutive patients with ovarian cancer undergoing second-look laparotomy were determined and compared with those of 50 healthy control subjects. Mean differences in groups were evaluated with the Student t test. Sixteen of 33 patients had a positive result at second look and a mean serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor level of 2.31 +/- 1.45 ng/ml. Seventeen of 33 patients had a negative result at second look and a mean macrophage colony-stimulating factor level of 1.90 +/- 0.86 ng/ml (p greater than 0.05). The mean macrophage colony-stimulating factor level in the control group was 1.20 +/- 0.51 ng/ml. This was statistically lower than the mean level found in patients with a negative second-look result (p less than 0.05). Regardless of tumor status, serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels tend to be elevated at the time of second-look laparotomy.