Has serum CA 125 assay at the time of relapse a prognostic relevance for patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma after primary cytoreduction and platinum- and paclitaxel-based chemotherapy?

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To correlate serum CA125 at relapse with survival in ovarian cancer patients who achieved a complete response after primary cytoreduction and paclitaxel- and platinum-based chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 104 patients. RESULTS: The 25%, 50%, and 75% quantiles of CA125 levels at relapse were 46, 118, and 190 U/ml. By log-rank test, survival after recurrence was related to consolidation treatment (p = 0.046), platinum-free interval (PFI) (p < 0.000005), number of recurrence sites (p = 0.03), treatment at recurrence (p = 0.002), and serum CA125 taking 118 U/ml as cut-off (p = 0.013). On multivariate analysis, consolidation treatment (p = 0.007), PFI (p = 0.0001), treatment at recurrence (p = 0.01), and serum CA125 taking 118 U/ml as cut-off (p = 0.04) were independent prognostic variables for survival. CONCLUSIONS: Serum CA125 at relapse was an independent prognostic variable. Patients with serum CA125 > 118 U/m had 1.943 higher risk of death than those with lower antigen value.