A Radioimmunoassay for Ovarian Cancer

To the Editor: Recently, we had a patient with massive ovarian metastases (Krukenberg's tumor) from a signet-ring—cell carcinoma of the sigmoid colon, in whom the preoperative level of CA 125 (ovarian-tumor-associated antigen) was markedly elevated. The carcinoembryonic antigen level was normal. (The level of carcinoembryonic antigen was normal at the time of colectomy three years ago.) I note that a group of patients with metastatic involvement of the ovaries was not delineated specifically in the study by Bast et al. (Oct. 13 issue).* I can readily conceive of clinical situations in which physicians could be misled by this test into.