A decline in CA-125 after surgical removal of ovarian cancer most likely indicates what?

A decline in CA-125 after surgical removal of ovarian cancer most likely indicates what?

• A. The tumor burden decreased.
• B. The tumor burden remained the same.
• C. The chemotherapy was effective.
• D. The patient has complete remission.

Answer: (A)

CA-125 tracks tumor activity in many ovarian cancers—its blood level tends to reflect how much tumor tissue is present and producing the marker. When surgery removes most of the tumor, less CA-125 is produced, so the blood level falls. This decline most directly indicates that tumor burden has decreased. It doesn’t by itself prove complete remission or prove that chemotherapy was effective, and CA-125 can be influenced by other conditions, but in this surgical context the drop lines up with a reduction in tumor mass.

CA-125 tracks tumor activity in many ovarian cancers—its blood level tends to reflect how much tumor tissue is present and producing the marker. When surgery removes most of the tumor, less CA-125 is produced, so the blood level falls. This decline most directly indicates that tumor burden has decreased. It doesn’t by itself prove complete remission or prove that chemotherapy was effective, and CA-125 can be influenced by other conditions, but in this surgical context the drop lines up with a reduction in tumor mass.