New Information from National Cancer Institute

[gls2824]

Early Chemo to Prevent Ovarian Cancer Recurrence Fails to Increase Survival

http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/060209/page2

This was posted today on another site.  It's very interesting, especially the comments on the CA-125 test.

[JC145]

My onc. will not give chemo on CA125 alone.   After first chemo, I started rising monthly .. like 8 to 10 points and was over 100 when we tried tamoxifen (and it worked) .. but my scans were NED.  If the tamoxifen had not worked at that point, I would have gone on topotecan (back in 2007) since we were over 100.  We did the same thing through all of 2008.  I am now back in chemo .. count hit over 100 at the end of the year and the PET/CT showed activity.  Now .. if only the topotecan would get going!!!

RE:  Scans .. small tumors will not show on scans .. need to be around 1cm (I think).

Judy

[Ramsay14]

I have come to understand that PET scans usually read negative for grade 1 tumors.  I believe they are a great scan for grade 2 and 3 tumors.  I have grade 1 tumors and I had a PET scan done a while back and my tumors were invisible on it.  The zillion little tumors I have show up great on the CT scan only.

[bebe709]

Hi... My Onc told me on Monday that he attended a conference over the past weekend... at a symposium.... and that they found out and have data to back it up... that reacting just to a ca 125 rising number and having NED on a petscan... that chemo should not be given.... as there were significant data on this study... that proves it will not effect  survival rate.

Actually, I am in this very position.... so I am off for the month of June (which is a well deserved break) from Topotecan... and in early July I will have another pet scan and see what happens... I not sure if you read some of my posts... regarding Arimidex... well I will be starting this regimen to see if it levels off the ca 125.  Lets keep in touch... Be Well

[melenzbee83]

Interesting read.

I never thought ca125 should be used solely anyway,i was under the impression from my oncologist that a PET scan was going to be the main method to check for reoccurence? I am new to chemo etc so interested in what other women's specialists use to test for relapse ?