CA-125 blood test

[JPerri0314]

Please discuss acceptable levels vs. elevated levels of CA-125.  Specifically, what is a "normal" result range?
Does this vary from woman to woman, particularly a woman that's had breast cancer?

[D-fly]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents here.

I live in Canada and I have had two CA-125 tests done.

The normal range here was less than 35...then in November 2004 it changed and dropped down to less than 21.  

Because of the difference in normal ranges, I have had one test come out fine and another one elevated.  Even with the elevated test my doctor is not doing anything despite me having a complex ovarian cyst on my right side (and lots of pain/symptoms).

My doctor seems to be erring on the side of caution that this test can be inconclusive of cancer because so many things can cause it to be elevated.

D-fly

[MickeyVicki]

My doctor does the test prior to the surgery so that if cancer is found, then there is a baseline measurement by which future tests can be measured.  Not all doctors require the test, however.

[Pammy9]

Do they usually perform the CA125 tests - esp in women who have had a history of cysts?  Do you have to ask for them to do it?

[MickeyVicki]

Different tests from different labs have slightly different scoring systems.  I can tell you that the CA-125 result for my test had a scoring notation at the bottom of the page.  It read basically that up to 35 is  "normal range", 36 to 99 as a high normal range,  with levels of 100 and over strongly indicative of malignancy.  However, a number of women posting on this site learned they had false high positives (one scored 300!) when surgery proved the masses were benign.  There is also a chance for a woman to have a type of ovca that does not produce CA-125.  I have no information on the link with CA-125 and breast cancer.