CA-125 9 Months after 1st Relapse treatment

Dr Goodman,

My mother had completed her 6 cycles of Carboplatin and Doxil for 1st relapse from Stage IV OVC in Jan 2010.  Her CA prior to starting chemo was 57 (Lab 21 Normal) and had small deposits on her liver and peritoneum.  Her CA-125 came down to 6 (Lab 21 Normal) after 3 cycles and 8 after 6 cycles (Only chemo and no Surgery performed).  Her PET scan on completion of treatment showed NED for recurrence.

3 month after treatment her CA came in at 24 (Lab 21 Normal)
6 Months after treatment it came in at 39. (Lab 21 Normal)
9 Months after treatment CA came in at 50. (Lab 32 Normal)

She has ZERO symptoms this time.  On her 1st relapse her CA numbers were doubling every 3 months but this time they are going up marginally.  Her last 2 CA 125 tests have been done in labs where 21 is the upper limit and this time it was done in a lab where 32 is the upper limit.

1)  How do we interpret her last 2 results one where the upper limit was 21 and the latest where the upper limit is 32?  

2)  Her CA125 is not doubling or shooting up as it did during her 1st reoccurrence.  Does this mean that her cancer is growing very slow and we can wait on initiating treatment?


Thanks
OVCIndia

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

HI There
it may be that there is a small amount of cell from the cancer that are producing her mild elevation in CA 125.
without symptoms or findings on an xray, most oncologists would just follow with checkups

thank you for keeping in touch
best wishes