Objective
Older women with ovarian cancer have increased cancer-related mortality and chemotherapy toxicity. CA125 is a sensitive biomarker for tumor burden. The study evaluates the association between CA125, geriatric assessment (GA), and treatment toxicity.
Methods
This is a secondary subset analysis of patients age ≥65 with ovarian cancer accrued to a multicenter prospective study that developed a predictive toxicity score for older adults with cancer. Clinical and geriatric covariates included sociodemographics, GA (comorbidity, social support, functional, nutritional, psychological, cognitive status), treatment, and labs. Utilizing bivariate analyses, we determined the association of abnormal CA125 (≥35 U/mL) with baseline GA, grade 3–5 toxicity (CTCAE v.3), dose adjustments, and hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis was used to check for potential confounder for association between CA125 and chemotherapy toxicity.
Results
Fifty-one (10%) of 500 patients accrued to the primary study had a diagnosis of ovarian (92%), peritoneal (4%), or fallopian tube (4%) cancer. Median age was 72 (range, 65–86). Forty-six patients (90%) had stage III–IV disease. Twenty-three patients (45%) received first-line chemotherapy, and 34 (67%) received platinum-doublet therapy. Thirty-six (71%) had an abnormal CA125. Grade 3–5 toxicity occurred in 19 patients (37%). Abnormal CA125 was associated with assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) (p<0.05), lower performance status (p=0.05), grade 3–5 toxicity (p=0.03), non-heme toxicity (p=0.04), and dose reductions (p=0.01). No association between CA125 level and total toxicity score was observed.
Conclusions
Among older women with ovarian cancer, abnormal CA125 was associated with poor pre-treatment functional status and an increased probability of chemotherapy toxicity and dose reduction.