The management of ovarian carcinoma is improved by the use of cancer‐associated serum antigen and CA 125 assays

Abstract

Background. The new tumor‐associated mucin assay, cancer‐associated serum antigen (CASA), was assessed with the CA 125 assay for use in the management of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods. CASA and CA 125 were assessed retrospectively for use in (1) monitoring 28 patients with Stage 3 or 4 ovarian carcinoma during therapy, (2) predicting the outcome of 41 second‐look laparotomies (SLL), and (3) predicting the survival outcome by measuring these levels after surgery but before chemotherapy in 65 patients with Stage 3 disease. Results. Of 20 patients with recurrence after an initial response, the presence of CASA levels detected recurrence in 65% before clinical detection; CA 12..