Patients with ovarian cancer have elevated (51)Cr-EDTA plasma clearance early post-operatively

Plasma clearance of (51)Cr-EDTA (Clp(EDTA)) is widely used to determine glomerular filtration rate prior to carboplatin based chemotherapy. We have observed that many patients with ovarian cancer have elevated Clp in the early post-operative phase compared to later phases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether this observation reflects a systematic difference. We retrospectively analysed data from 53 patients who had undergone surgery for ovarian cancer. Twenty-six patients had Clp(EDTA) measured early after the operation (mean, 8 days (range, 3-16 days)) (early group), and 27 patients had Clp(EDTA) measured late post-operatively (mean, 32 days (range, 19-48 days)) (late group). Clp(EDTA) values was measured before the first, third and fifth course of chemotherapy. Additionally, age, height, weight, cancer stage, ascites and tumour histology were noted. Mean Clp(EDTA) in the early group was significantly higher than in the late group (104+/-4.4 vs 89+/-3.5 ml.min(-1) per 1.73 m(2); P =0.005). Clp(EDTA) declined significantly in the early group from the first measurement after the operation until measurement before the third course of chemotherapy but remained constant in the late group. Clp(EDTA) was not correlated to ascites, cancer stage or tumour histology. It is concluded that patients with ovarian cancer have significantly higher Clp(EDTA) in the early post-operative phase than similar patients with Clp(EDTA) measured late post-operatively.