Rising Ca-125

[kathy o]

My Ca-125 has gone up to 52 from last month of 32. I have a Cat Scan and everything set to go 12-8. Anyway I am seven months out of Chemo and can hardly believe that it would be back so soon.I have no symptons and was looking forward to going back to work. My question is has anyone gone in for scan when their ca-125 was 52 and what was the next plan of action. I can hardly bring myself to tell my family about this. Any input would help. thanks

[MickeyVicki]

A PET scan is a 'positron emission tomography' or something like that phrase.  It is a form of imaging whereby the patient is first given an IV of a mildly radioactive substance in a solution, usually glucose.  Because the normal activity of cells uses glucose for energery, the cells take up the glucose, along with the radioactive substance attached to it.  Then the patient is placed in the imaging machine, which looks like an MRI machine, and the body is imaged.  All of the cells which took up the glucose will be imaged.  Because cancer cells are so aggressive in their growth, they take up more of the glucose  and thus more of the radioactive material, and therefore, they are easily detected in the imaging.

[Mobydick]

CA125 is not always the most reliable, as your doctor to do a PET scan, this will show if their are any areas of activity, PET is more actriate that CAT. Good luck

[kathy o]

wondering what a PET scan is? I have always had a cat scan before?

[xrayu2]

I have read that any kind of infection in your body can spark a rise of the levels.  Have you had a cold or bronchitus?  i am sure you are frightened, but I understand that many things other than recurrence can cause it to rise.