The Use of HE4 With Simple Ultrasound Rules to Predict Malignancy in a Pelvic Mass

The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Pelvic Mass

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03982914

UW 17-551

Details and patient eligibility

About

Our objective is to determine if the combination of simple ultrasound features (IOTA simple rules) and a new biomarker (HE4) together with a common tumour marker (CA 125) can accurately predict ovarian cancer in women found to have a pelvic mass on ultrasound. The investigators hypothesize that the use of two biomarkers (HE4 and CA 125) in a mathematical algorithm (Risk of Malignancy Algorithm, ROMA) can be used to predict malignancy in a pelvic mass which has indeterminate ultrasound features. This is a prospective cohort study involving women undergoing operation for a pelvic mass. 720 women scheduled to have an operation to remove a pelvic mass would be recruited from 3 hospitals (QMH, UCH and PYNEH). Pre-operatively, each woman will have an ultrasound assessment using the IOTA simple rules criteria and have blood taken for tumour markers HE4 and CA 125. In women where IOTA ultrasound rules are inconclusive, 2 strategies for prediction will be compared - calculation of risk by ROMA (Strategy A) vs referral for an expert ultrasound (Strategy B). These pre-operative risk predictions will be correlated with the final pathology found at the operations.

Main outcome measures include the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive powers for Strategy A compared to Strategy B. Sensitivity and specificity will be compared using the McNemar test. Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) will be calculated and compared using the Delong method for the 2 strategies.

The investigators expect AUC of both strategies will be similar. This would suggest that ROMA can replace expert ultrasound in the pre-operative prediction of ovarian cancer.

Enrollment: 814 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Women over the age of 18
• Found to have a pelvic mass on ultrasound, MRI, CT or PET scan
• Scheduled for operation (laparoscopic or open) for a pelvic mass (including ovarian cystectomy and oophorectomy)
• Women who would understand the informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Women who refused a transvaginal scan
• Pregnant women
• Surgical removal is delayed for more than 120 days from the date of the ultrasound examination
• Previous history of ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer or unknown malignancy
• History of bilateral oophorectomy