Following Patients for Disease Recurrence

Our team takes a proactive approach to following patients closely for recurrent disease.  We believe that it may make a difference in prolonging life and maintaining quality of life if we catch recurrent tumors earlier and treat them effectively.  Follow-up appointments are made every three months for the first two to three years, every six months up to 5 years after diagnosis and yearly thereafter.

Myths and Facts of the CA125 test:  It’s NOT a screening tool:
CA125 is a non-specific blood test that can be abnormal in patients with ovarian cancer as well as many non-cancerous conditions including inflammation of the peritoneal surface.  For women who previously have not been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, elevated CA125 could be anything from endometriosis or a bladder infection to presence of menstrual period.  It is approved by the FDA as a means of monitoring ovarian cancer, but should not be used as a screening test for the disease, particularly in pre-menopausal women.  Currently, the morphologic or anatomical characteristics of the ovary, as seen by ultrasound or computed tomography, are the most accurate means for evaluating a suspected ovarian cancer.