ABSTRACT
Serum CA 125 was measured during early chemotherapy in 34 patients from January, 1991 to December, 1994 with ovarian cancer to investigate if serial measurmemts of antigen level could be used as a prognostic parameter. Serum CA 125 was determined after the first, second, and third course of chemotherapy. There was significant correlation between high serum CA 125 levels(>35U/ml) after the third course of chemotherapy and advanced FIGO stage, large residual tumor volume after cytoreductive surgery, but there was no significant correlation with patient age, tumor differentiation, and hitologic type. And high serum level of CA 125 after the third course of chemotherapy was significantly correlate with poor response to chemotherapy(p35U/ml) after the third course had a 0% 5-year survival. This should be compared with a 89.5% 5-year survival in patients who had serum CA 125 level of 35U/ml or less(p<0.0001). As a consequence of this study, chemotherapy of patients with high CA 125 levels after the third course may be discontinued and replaced by other chemotherapy or palliative therapy.