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CA125 blood test

Good Morning,

This is a wonderful service and I'd like to thank everyone involved for offering this.

I'm a breast cancer survivor (4 yrs) and recently had a vaginal ultrasound, which showed a solid mass (not liquid) on one of my ovaries.  The doctor sent me for a CA125 blood test, which came back "normal".  My questions are:

1)  given my history of cancer and given the fact that I am post menopausal, would it be advisable to go for a hysterectomy rather than to wait to see if this tumor grows?  

2)  how reliable is the CA125 blood test in determining a malignancy?

Thanks for your help and guidance!!

Sandy
4 Responses
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Avatar universal
Which tests are more accurate in determining ovarian cancer?  An MRI or ultrasounds?  Does an elevated CA125 of 69 conclusively mean cancer?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had elevated CA125's for the past six  months.  My first CA125 was 38.  The next was 35.  My final test done recently was 69.  I have many fibroids in the uterus which showed up on ultrasounds and an MRI.  

Which tests are more accurate in determining ovarian cancer?

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had an elevated CA125 a few years ago.  

This test, when the results are above "normal" levels can also indicate endometriosis (which I have.)  My elevated levels were a result of the endometriosis, not cancer.
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Avatar universal
Dear Sandy,  CA-125 test is used as one piece of information used in diagnosing ovarian malignancy.  It is not used in isolation, but as part of the whole picture.  It has been shown to be elevated in about 80 percent of women with ovarian cancer.  CA-125 is used  in terms of a tumor marker for a person diagnosed with ovarian cancer, as one parameter to follow the disease.

Breast cancer itself is not noted to be a risk factor for developing ovarian cancer.  However these diseases do share some common risk factors such as; increasing age, increase risk in post-menopausal women.
Helpful - 0

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