Ovarian cancer - CA-125 test DefinitionThe CA-125 blood test measures the level of the protein CA-125 in the blood. How the Test is PerformedA blood sample is needed. How to Prepare for the TestNo preparation is necessary. How the Test will FeelWhen the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is PerformedCA-125 is a protein that is found more in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells. This blood test is often used to monitor women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The test is useful if the CA-125 level was high when the cancer was first diagnosed. In these cases, measuring the CA-125 over time is a good tool to determine if ovarian cancer treatment is working. The CA-125 test may also be done if a woman has symptoms or findings on ultrasound that suggest ovarian cancer. In general, this test is not used to screen healthy women for ovarian cancer when a diagnosis has not yet been made. Normal ResultsA level above 35 U/mL is considered abnormal. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results MeanIn a woman who has ovarian cancer, a rise in CA-125 usually means that the disease has progressed or come back (recurred). A decrease in CA-125 usually means the disease is responding to current treatment. In a woman who has not been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a rise in CA-125 may mean a number of things. While it may mean that she has ovarian cancer, it can also indicate other types of cancer, as well as several other diseases, such as endometriosis, which are not cancer. In healthy women, an elevated CA-125 usually does not mean ovarian cancer is present. Most healthy women with an elevated CA-125 do not have ovarian cancer, or any other cancer. Any woman with an abnormal CA-125 test needs further tests. Sometimes surgery is needed to confirm the cause. RisksThere is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others. Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:
ReferencesColeman RL, Liu J, Matsuo K, Thaker PH, Westin SN, Sood AK. Carcinoma of the ovaries and fallopian tubes. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 86. Freund KM. Approach to women's health. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 224. Thomson C. Ovarian neoplasms. In: Layden EA, Thomson A, Owen P, Madhra M, Magowan BA, eds. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 12. | |
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Review Date: 10/16/2022 Reviewed By: Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Monsey, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | |
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