Ovarian Cancer Follow-up

After treatment, physicians will schedule routine follow-up visits and depending on the type of the cancer, may use blood tests to help watch for a possible recurrence. Doctors may also order follow-up imaging tests or surgeries. If the cancer does return, early detection of recurrent disease is important so that additional treatment can begin immediately.

Ovarian cancer does have a biochemical marker CA-125, and this has been useful in the monitoring of patients after treatment. PET/CT scanning can help the physician in localizing recurrent metastatic disease in patients with elevated serum CA-125 levels but negative CT scans. Recurrence may be diagnosed on the basis of a rising CA-125 level, but PET/CT scanning is useful to help the physician localize and determine the extent of the recurrent disease.

PET/CT imaging helps the physician assess recurrent disease.