Hormonal and immunologic methods in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with benign ovarian tumors and endometriotic cysts.

OBJECTIVE To compare efficacy of various methods for characterizing endometriosis and benign ovarian tumors. DESIGN Two parallel groups of patients, 54 with endometriotic ovarian cysts and 48 with benign tumors. SETTING Central clinic. PATIENTS Patients referred from all regions over a 5-year period. OUTCOME MEASURES Estrogen Estrogen and progesterone receptor levels of endometrium and endometriotic foci, CA-125 concentration, and estradiol, progesterone, LH, and testosterone blood levels. RESULTS LH levels elevated during follicular phase in patients; estradiol levels reduced; receptor levels abnormal in endometriosis, but not in benign ovarian cysts. CONCLUSIONS Hormone therapy is adequate treatment for endometriotic cysts. CA-125 is not a reliable indicator for differential diagnosis.