CA 125 surveillance and second-look laparotomy in ovarian carcinoma

CA 125 was evaluated as a tumor marker in 31 patients undergoing treatment for ovarian carcinoma, 17 of whom had second-look laparotomies. At the time of second-look laparotomy, 14 patients had CA 125 values in the normal range. Six of these patients had a positive second-look laparotomy. Although normal CA 125 values do not obviate the need for second-look laparotomy in treatment planning, rising or falling trends reflected clinical disease progression or regression in 80% of the cases.