Clinical trial - ca-125 results

[Hazel30]

My Mom, 47, ovca 3c is currently in a clinical trial for antibodies.  Its a 9 week study with potential extension if the drug is affective.
Before she started, ca-125 was 47.  Three weeks into the trial ca-125 was 52 and another 3 weeks later (which was yesterday) ca-125 is 76.  So my question is can one experience  a continues slow rise in the ca-125 and then have it drop at the very end.  This clinical trial is not chemo so it does not have the same chemo affect its just antibodies too see how long the agent can delay a recurrence.  My Moms nurse  said that the rise  is  expected and the final conclusion only depends on the CT Scans to determine if the diseas  has advanced or not.  She said sometimes ca-125 is not reliable in the clinical trial studies until the very end or sometimes months later.  

Any input on this would relieve my nerves greatly. Thanks
-Fiana

[SimplyStar]

My daughter is starting her chemo trial  Monday, for  a recur, Mayo told her they would not be doing CA125's during this period, only scans ,  hers is 6 months long with chemo  { Topotecan} 3 times per month, and a pill {Tykerb} daily.  Her CA125 went like this  q 2 week intervals,  6    12   32   72.   She is now 5 months from end of first line chemo.  I believe they want to focus more on the scans  to see the changes brought on by the treatment offered by the individual  clinical trial.  Hoping all goes well for your Mom.

[Hazel30]

Yes it seems like they do want to just  focus on the scans although to some the ca-125 is  accurate but they  want to  see the big picture at the very end and evaluate it by the scans.  In my  Moms case they just  want to see stabolization not pregression.  If they see that her scan is the same as before  the trial they will keep her on for another 9 weeks.  Thank you for the reply and I hope the best for your doughter.

[alanpvegas]

ca-125 can or cannot be an effective measure of treatment....it is ONE part.  CT-Scans and such are all part of it.  Sometimes it takes a while for treatment to lower Ca-125 levels.  My mom's went up during the first two (up to 700's) now down to the 200's.