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Follow up care after treatment for Borderline Mucinous Ovarian Tumor

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Stephen C. Rubin, MD
Last Modified: February 24, 2002

Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"

My Mom is 58 years old, postmenopausal. She was diagnosed with Borderline Mucinous Ovarian Tumor (stage IC) last April. She had a surgery to remove uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and part of omentum, followed by four chemotherapies. Generally speaking, she recovered very well and her health situation is good now. Could you please kindly let me know that besides CA-125 assay, what other checkups should she have? Any suggestions for follow up care/treatment she should have to prevent recurrence of cancer?

Thank you very much.  

Stephen C. Rubin, MD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, responds:

Borderline tumors of the ovary constitute about 10-20% of the most common type of ovarian cancers, the epithelial adenocarcinomas. They tend to be much less aggressive than the full-fledged invasive cancers of the ovary, and are most often diagnosed early. Although mucinous tumors are less likely to cause an elevation of the CA 125, this is certainly an important part of your mother's follow up. Her physician will also want to do regular examinations, and perhaps periodic scans, depending on her situation. With an early stage borderline tumor, her outlook for complete cure should be quite good.