Elevated CA-125 level. Does this always mean cancer?

I went to my gyno for a check up on some severe sudden abdomen pain attacks I've had in the past. I've been woke up in the middle of the night, out of the blue with SEVERE front abdominal attackes. They start out in the upper area - to where I feel it might be a gas bubble, or diarrehea - then proceeds all the way down the front. Top to bottom, side to side. It always lasts one hour. I do end up getting sick to my stomach - and it is painful. No posistion helps to ease the pain. I just rock slowly and breathe slowly to get through it. It is so severe, that the first time it happened I was close to calling an ambulance -- and I have had a DVT (blood clot) that I even ignored before my hubby made me go to the hospital! So -- my pain tolerance is pretty high. When these "attacks" come on - I can barely take it. After attack #2, I did go to out local Urgent Care, and they did an xray, and saw how constipated I was - and told me they thought it was the onset of diverticulitis/ or irritable bowel syndrom (syndrome). After some MOM and a liquid diet of three days, things were better. Nothing more was done after that.

Fast forward - So I noticed after the third time this attack happened in the middle of the night, that I was always menustrating. It never changed the blood flow. Then the next two times it happened, I decided to go see my gynocologist because of me always being on my period.

When I saw my gyno, he asked about family histories of cervial cancer -- which I don't know anything about, being my mother was adopted, and my father passed when I was four yrs old. But every question he asked me that I knew about, like different symptoms of things, I answered with lots of 'nos'. All his poking and prodding, there was no pain.

Coincedentally, I would like to mention during this visit, I was supposed to be on my period, but only was spotting for three weeks. I have never missed a period, and have always been regular. I am 34 yrs old.

He had a CA-125 test done. Normal range in 0-35, mine was 44. I have a scheduled ultrasound next week. I am scared. With all my google searching, I understand this is a 'tumor marker' test -- regardless if it's cancerous or not. I know elevated levels are not a good thing. I know this test is controversial to give if someone has not been diagnoised with cancer previously.

I want to stress, that I am not in daily/weekly pain. I feel just fine. These attacks come out of nowhere! The only way I can describe it, is when you get food poisoning, and it just hits you out of the blue! I have had five attacks in 14 months - so not quite every other month. Only one time was it during the day.

I've been researching gall stone / gall bladder. The symptoms of the gall bladder seems to fit me more than anything else. I'm wondering if you can have an elevated ca-125 level with a bad gall bladder? I know your levels can be elevated with Pancreatitis -- which is something that happens when your gall bladder is bad. Any ideas? Is a 44 elevated level high and bad? Should I worry as much as I am? Thank you!

[marie3B]

Too soon to know what this is.  Keep on going for tests until you get the answer.  The only pain I have ever had in my life to make me want to call 911 was my gallbladder trouble.  A CT scan can show if you have stones.  My gallbladder stones caused a problem called billiary colic and I screamed like a maniac and called for an ambulance.  I scared every neighbor on the block!  This may or may not be your trouble.  Ask for a CT scan or ultrasound.

As for the CA-125, many things can cause an elevation.  Endometriosis, infections, any inflammation.  I do have ovarian cancer, but my CA125 is under 2, so it is not a very reliable marker for all.  I would not ignore it though.  Push for further tests.  Good luck.  Marie