Using CA125 to Monitor Ovarian Cancer
CA125™ is the current gold-standard test for the management of ovarian cancer and is used to monitor patients for recurrence of cancer and measure their response to therapy. CA125 is a simple blood test that identifies whether there are elevated levels of a protein in your blood. An elevated CA125 is related to the presence of cancer cells.10
CA125 is a protein that is more prevalent in ovarian cancer cells. However, even though its level is elevated in about 80% of women with ovarian cancer, not all elevations indicate a malignancy. This is because CA125 also can be elevated in noncancerous conditions, such as menstruation, endometriosis, pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and benign ovarian cysts. Therefore, CA125 is only one part of a regimen of diagnostic tools used to identify the presence of cancer.
