ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the significance of preoperative serum CA-125 level of primary epithelial ovarian carcinoma with respect to prognostic factors (histologic grade, tumor stage, success of cytoreductive operation) and to assess the relationship between the changes of serum CA-125 level and 5-year survival rate after the cytoreductive operation and chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the results of 101 patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer staged over IC, who had been diagnosed and treated at Kyung-Hee University Medical Center from January 1991 to April 2003. They were managed with cytoreductive operation and chemotherpy. They were monitored by serum CA-125 level serially during treatments. RESULTS: There were significant differences of preoperative serum CA-125 level in histologic types, histologic grades, presence of ascites, presence of lymph node involvement, success of cytoreduction and success of 5-year survival (P0.05). There were significant differences of 5-year survival rate in groups divided by pre- and postoperation serum CA-125 level (P<0.05). And significant differences were shown between serum CA-125 values and 5-year survival rate in three cycles of chemotherapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum CA-125 level is a valid tumor marker in predicting the responsiveness of cytoreduction and combined chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer. Measurement of serum CA-125 levels during treatment might permit an early change to optimal forms of therapeutic management or alternatives.
Subject(s)
Humans , Academic Medical Centers , Ascites , Drug Therapy , Lymph Nodes , Ovarian Neoplasms , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to identify the validity of serum CA125 level for assessing responsiveness to combined chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer who had received postoperative combined chemotherapy (paclitaxel and cisplatin) at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University Medical Center, from February, 1996 to July, 2000 were included. We analyzed the relation between the responsiveness criteria of WHO and the change in serum CA125 level. RESULTS: 1. There was a tendency that patients with more advanced stage(stage 1-4) had higher serum CA125 level without significant differences. 2. The percentage of patients who responded to paclitaxel and cisplatin was 46.7%(14/30) by WHO criteria and 56.7%(17/30) by serum CA125 level. 3. The sensitivity and specificity of serum CA125 level in the prediction of response were 78.6% and 62.5% respectively. 4. In a living group, the changes of percentage value in CA125 level were higher at 2nd, 3rd and 4th chemotherapy cycle than in an expired group(p<0.05). 5. There was a tendency that the responsiveness based on WHO criteria and CA125 had positive correlation(p=0.0865). 6. There was a tendency that the responsiveness based on serum CA125 level and patient`s survival had positive correlation(p=0.1454). CONCLUSIONS: Serum CA125 level is a valid tumor marker in assessing the responsiveness to combined chemotherapy which can be used with or instead of the WHO criteria in epithelial ovarian cancer.