[Prognostic significance of the CA 125 half-life for the further outcome of ovarian cancer].
Since only approx. 30% of patients with ovarian carcinoma present themselves in the early stages, and as a result of the lack of effective screening methods, primary interest has been applied to the improvement of the treatment quality in the later stages. Improvement of therapeutic strategies implies an adaptation of specific characteristics of the patient and the tumour. For instance, in cases of primary progression during chemotherapy, it is not justified to continue an aggressive treatment, which causes additional serious side effects. Surprisingly, it has not been possible, to utilize established or suspected prognostic factors for treatment strategies in ovarian cancer. This might result, in part, from the uncertainty of criteria such as stage of disease, residual tumour and histological grading. The single most relevant prognostic factor today is the residual tumour mass. In 1988 van der Burg suggested for the first time a potential prognostic relevance of the CA 125 half-life. This study was designed, to investigate the use of CA 125 half-life in therapeutic strategies. From January 1984 to June 1990, 346 patients with primary ovarian cancer were treated at our institution. Preoperative CA 125 levels were determined in 292 patients; in 220 patients the levels were complete for a period of more than 6 months so that the CA 125 half-life could be calculated. Survival times of patients with a half-life of less than 20 days were significantly (p less than 0.0001) different from patients with a half-life of more than 20 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Meier
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W
Frauenklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Stieber
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P
Fateh-Moghadam
A
A
Eiermann
W
W
Hepp
H
H
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D010052:Ovariectomy; D015996:Survival Rate
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor