A contemporary analysis of the ability of preoperative serum CA-125 to predict primary cytoreductive outcome in patients with advanced ovarian, tubal and peritoneal carcinoma Dennis S. Chi a, ⁎ , Oliver Zivanovic a , Meena J. Palayekar b , Eric L. Eisenhauer a , Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum a , Yukio Sonoda a , Douglas A. Levine a , Mario M. Leitao a , Carol L. Brown a , Richard R. Barakat a a Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, MRI-1026, New York, NY 10021, USA b Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA Received 1 August 2008 Abstract Objective. We previously reported that preoperative CA-125 may predict primary cytoreductive outcome in patients with stage III ovarian carcinoma (OC). The objective of this study was to perform a contemporary analysis of the ability of CA-125 to predict cytoreductive outcome in advanced OC since our programmatic change in surgical approach that currently incorporates the utilization of extensive upper abdominal procedures, as needed, to achieve maximal cytoreduction. Methods. We reviewed the records of all patients with advanced ovarian, tubal or peritoneal carcinoma who underwent primary cytoreduction at our institution between 1/01 and 4/05. Results. The study cohort included 277 patients. Primary disease sites were: ovary, 232 (84%); tubal, 9 (3%); and peritoneum, 36 (13%). Stages were: IIIA, 6 (2%); IIIB, 12 (4%); IIIC, 215 (78%); and IV, 44 (16%). Tumor grades were: grade 1, 6 (2%); grade 2, 30 (11%); grade 3, 233 (84%), and undifferentiated, 8 (3%). Cytoreductive outcomes were: no gross residual disease (RD), 68 (25%); ≤ 1 cm RD, 153 (55%); and N cm RD, 56 (20%). There was no threshold CA-125 level that accurately predicted cytoreductive outcome. However, with CA-125 values N 500 U/mL, 50% (57/113) of patients required extensive upper abdominal surgery to achieve RD ≤ 1 cm, compared to 27% (25/93) for those with CA-125 b 500 U/ mL (P = 0.001). Conclusion. Following our change in surgical paradigm that the incorporated extensive upper abdominal procedures to attain optimal debulking, preoperative CA-125 did not predict the primary cytoreductive outcome of patients with advanced ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal carcinoma. However, with a preoperative CA-125 N 500 U/mL, extensive upper abdominal procedures were necessary in 50% of cases to achieve residual disease ≤ 1 cm. These data may be useful as part of preoperative surgical counseling and planning. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: CA-125; Optimal cytoreduction; Advanced ovarian cancer Introduction At the time of diagnosis, approximately 70% of women with ovarian cancer will have advanced-stage disease [1]. Currently, the standard management for advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer is attempted optimal surgical cytoreduction followed by platinum and taxane combination chemotherapy. Several studies have demonstrated that optimal primary cytoreduction improves survival in patients of ovarian cancer [2–6]. However, suboptimal cytoreduction confers no survival advantage and can increase morbidity as compared to delaying attempts at cytoreduction and treating with initial chemotherapy. Therefore, over the past two decades, significant research has focused on developing accurate and reliable preoperative models and strategies for predicting whether or not optimal cytoreduction can be accomplished. Computed tomography (CT) scans and Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Gynecologic Oncology 112 (2009) 6 – 10 www.elsevier.com/locate/ygyno ⁎ Corresponding author. Fax: +1 212 717 3214. E-mail addresses: gynbreast@mskcc.org, chid@mskcc.org (D.S. Chi). 0090-8258/$ - see front matter © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2008.10.010