HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

What Causes Elevated CA-125 Levels?

Why is my ca125 creeping back up I had ovarian cancer in 2010 it s been seven years now I had full hysterectomy and 6 months chemo been fine ever since still have regular checks and blood tests and now my ca125 is in the 50s but I feel great could it be something else or could my cancer be comingback
Thu, 29 Jun 2017
Report Abuse
General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for posting in HCM.
I understand your concern.
CA 125 (cancer Antigen 125) is a protein substance, which is a tumor marker or cancer biomarker. This substance is found in greater concentration in tumor cells than in other cells of the body.
In particular, CA 125 is present in greater concentration in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells.
The normal values for CA 125 is 0 to 35 units/ml.
A number of benign conditions can cause elevations of the CA 125 level, including pregnancy, endometriosis, uterine fibroids (benign tumors), pancreatitis, normal menstruation, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cirrhosis of the liver.
Increase can also be seen in cancers other than ovarian cancer, including malignancies of the uterine tubes, endometrium, lung, breast, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract as well as lymphoma.
It is not possible to interpret the meaning of abnormally high CA 125 results without additional information about the particular patient being evaluated.
Generally, decreasing level indicates that therapy, including chemotherapy, has been effective, while an increasing level indicates tumor recurrence. Because of normal test variation, small changes are usually not considered significant. A doubling or halving of the previous value would be important.
Hence, you may require clinical examination and additional investigations like ultrasound and CT scan to know the exact reason behind its increase.
Hope the information provided would be helpful.
All the best.
Regards,
Dr.Ashakiran.S.,
MBBS., MD.
I find this answer helpful

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
What Causes Elevated CA-125 Levels?

Hi, Thanks for posting in HCM. I understand your concern. CA 125 (cancer Antigen 125) is a protein substance, which is a tumor marker or cancer biomarker. This substance is found in greater concentration in tumor cells than in other cells of the body. In particular, CA 125 is present in greater concentration in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells. The normal values for CA 125 is 0 to 35 units/ml. A number of benign conditions can cause elevations of the CA 125 level, including pregnancy, endometriosis, uterine fibroids (benign tumors), pancreatitis, normal menstruation, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. Increase can also be seen in cancers other than ovarian cancer, including malignancies of the uterine tubes, endometrium, lung, breast, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract as well as lymphoma. It is not possible to interpret the meaning of abnormally high CA 125 results without additional information about the particular patient being evaluated. Generally, decreasing level indicates that therapy, including chemotherapy, has been effective, while an increasing level indicates tumor recurrence. Because of normal test variation, small changes are usually not considered significant. A doubling or halving of the previous value would be important. Hence, you may require clinical examination and additional investigations like ultrasound and CT scan to know the exact reason behind its increase. Hope the information provided would be helpful. All the best. Regards, Dr.Ashakiran.S., MBBS., MD.