The Ca125 concentration in intraperitoneal fluid as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer patients with refractory malignant ascites

Abstract

Aim: Chemotherapy refractory malignant ascites in ovarian cancer patients is still a serious problem which leads to significant deterioration in the quality of life by causing distressing symptoms such as pain, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, dyspnea. In this group of patients overall survival is short. Efficacy and tolerability of current available treatments is limited. The serum Ca125 concentration has been well documented as an useful marker for evaluating intravenous chemotherapy response in epithelial ovarian cancer patients. The main goal of this study was estimation of Ca125 concentration decline rate in the intraperitoneal fluid as a prognostic factor for intraperitoneal chemotherapy response and patients survival.

Material and method: Patients included to this analysis attained intravenous chemorefractory malignant ascites in the ovarian cancer course. An intraperitoneal chemotherapy was cisplatin based. Ca125 concentration was measured twice in intraperitoneal fluid: before intraperitoneal chemotherapy infusion and 24 hours after. Results: Patients with  Ca125 intraperitoneal concentration decrease more than 3 times lived longer than patients with lower Ca126 concentration reduction (78,5 vs 33,1 months), p=0.06.

The results of this study have many limitations, mostly due to the group of pts being small. That is why the results should be taken into consideration with caution.

Conclusions: Intraperitoneal fluid Ca125 concentration decrease rate after intraperitoneal chemotherapy seems to be prognostic factor for overall survival in ovarian cancer patients with refractory malignant ascites.