• Visit the oncologist every 2 to 4 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 years
• Conduct a complete blood count (CBC) every 12 months or as indicated
• Test CA-125 level at every appointment if initially elevated
• Obtain a chemistry profile if indicated
• Have a physical exam, including pelvic exam
• Obtain an abdominopelvic CT scan if clinically indicated
• Get a chest x-ray exam as indicated

Overall, approximately 70% to 80% of women diagnosed with stage III or IV ovarian cancer will have a complete response to initial treatment that can be measured by a normal CA-125 level, a negative physical exam, and negative abdominopelvic CT scan. Nearly all oncologists agree that carboplatin plus paclitaxel is the most effective combination in the treatment of ovarian cancer. However, if a woman’s ovarian cancer fails to respond to a platinum drug or recurs within the 3 to 6 months following first-line therapy, she has a much lower chance of responding to any other chemotherapy agent.

Despite the high level of response to first-line therapy, a majority of women will have recurrent disease requiring additional treatment. In this situation, the medical management of ovarian cancer may shift to thinking in terms of stopping or slowing the spread of the disease by maximizing the number of chemotherapy agents a woman can be exposed to while minimizing and timing the onset of treatment-related side effects. Recurrent ovarian cancer is not an automatic death sentence. It is critical for you to discuss planning for a sequence of future treatments with your oncologist.