The prognostic significance of the half‐life of serum CA 125 in patients responding to chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian carcinoma

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Abstract
Summary: Various prognostic factors were studied in 29 patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer who responded to initial chemotherapy after initial diagnostic surgery. The half‐life of CA 125 in serum during initial chemotherapy was the most important prognostic indicator for survival (PP= 0·012). A CA 125 half‐life of 40 days appears to identify patients with a good, intermediate or poor prognosis, the two year actuarial survival being 76%, 48% and 0% respectively. The chance of achieving a complete remission was 15% and 67% respectively for patients with a serum CA 125 half‐life of >20 or <20 days.