Predict value of tumor markers combined with interleukins for therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in ovarian cancer patients

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most prevalent and fatal malignancy of the female reproductive system, with the majority of patients diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the lack of early screening. Despite surgery and chemotherapy being the standard treatments, overall survival rates have not improved significantly, highlighting the need for new biomarkers for therapeutic efficacy and prognostic evaluation. This study aimed to clarify the application value of tumor markers (TMs), including carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), combined with interleukins (ILs), such as IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of OC, and to establish a prediction model. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 184 OC patients treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2020 to February 2023. Serum levels of CA125, AFP, and CEA were quantified by chemiluminescence immunoassay, and ILs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Significant decreases in CA125, AFP, CEA, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were observed after treatment (all P<0.001), while IL-8 levels showed no significant change (P=0.597). The death group exhibited notably higher levels of CA125, IL-6, and IL-8 than the survival group (all P<0.001). Cox regression analysis identified CA125, IL-8, histological grading, ascites, intravascular tumor thrombus, and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging as independent prognostic factors. The Nomogram model based on these factors showed strong predictive ability in predicting patient mortality with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.756. In conclusion, the combination of TMs and ILs is valuable in evaluating therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in OC. Dynamic monitoring of CA125, IL-6, and IL-8 can guide clinical treatment adjustments, improving diagnostic accuracy and prognosis reliability.