We studied peritoneal fluid and serum LDH levels to identify patients with ovarian carcinoma and differentiate them from patients with benign ovarian tumor or other gynecological tumors.

From July 1998 to May 1999, peritoneal fluid and serum LDH, serum CA-125 levels were measured in 95 patients: 11 with ovarian carcinoma, 2 with borderline ovarian tumor, 45 with benign ovarian tumor, 2 with endometrial carcinoma, 21 with CIS, 7 with cervical cancer and 7 with uterine myoma.

Peritoneal fluid LDH and serum LDH and CA-125 levels in ovarian cancer patients were significantly higher than those in patients with benign ovarian tumor and other gynecological tumors(p<0.05). Peritoneal fluid LDH demonstrated higher sensitivity(100%) and greater diagnostic efficiency(86%) than serum LDH(73% and 84%, respectively) or serum CA-125.(82% and 83%, respectively)

Peritoneal fluid LDH, compared to serum LDH and serum CA-125, presented the greatest diagnostic efficiency in discriminating ovarian cancer from benign ovarian tumor and, therefore, it may be efficient as a biochemical marker in diagnosis of ovarian cancer, even in early stages of the disease.