more questions

Thanks for your reply and suggestions..Again i am the one who lives in a non-english speaking country and here is my history again :
Known case of CA ovary, 50 yrs, S/P TAH, BSO,partial omentectomy Oct 2006 . OC stage 4, pleural in right lung/ascites in abdomen/6 cycles of taxol/carbo.
"Findings CHEST: reveals multiple tiny subpleural nodules in both lungs.The largest is 0.5cm. No active pulmonary infiltration as well as no pericardial or pleural effusion is seen.  A few small lymph nordes are noted at the prevascular and precarinal regions.  They are subcentimeter in short axis diameters which are nonspecific.  A few smal bilateral thyroid nodules are seen more on the right.
ABDOMEN: a small ill-defined rapid nobular rim enhancement with persistent contrast staining in delayed phase at hepatic segment V is likely to be hepatic hemangioman, measured about 1.4x1.5x1.0 cm in AP, transverse and vertical diameters, respectively.  Innumerable tiny hypodense lesion are seen scattering in both hepatic lobes, whcih are too small to characterize and probably hepatic cysts.  The portal vein is patent.  The IHD and CBD are not dilated.No ascites or significant lymphadenopathy is observed. Prominent left sided of vaginal stump with a few tiny hyperdense spots are noted.
CA125: 111, 34, 13, 16, 12,12,10

1. Do you normally do a  ct or some other scan before starting chemo?
2. after reading my only scan(done after 6 cycles of chemo) results would you continue the chemo? I am scheduled for 3 more cycles with a 5 week gap since the last one.
3.  Or would you wait
4. Will my new hair fall out again with such a long gap (hair started back up 3 cycles ago)
Tks again

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,
Again, your CT s can sounds fine to me. If I have been the surgeon to the the surgery, then I do not always get a prechemo scan. if I have any questions about what I found at surgery (or want to scan the liver and lungs) or if I did not do the surgery, I would get a starting scan. It is reasonable to scan after 6 cycles.

The range of cycles is usually 6 to 8 but sometimes people will go on to receive 12 cycles. that is the judgement of the treating doctor. You should ask your doctor why the intervals are so long between treatments
take care

[Kimchi]

Do you recommend a liver test along with ca125 and blood test? When would you suggest a liver test? Should one be done and when and how often and what to you look for?