What is the CA-125 test?
Antigen 125 (CA-125) cancer is a laboratory study conducted to evaluate the CA-125 concentration in the blood. This molecule is considered to be a tumor marker, as increased blood concentrations can indicate the presence of basic cancer. Although high levels are most closely associated with ovarian cancer, they can also be caused by other tumors and diseases. The test is not an ideal screening test for ovarian cancer, but has an important role in the detection of the recurrence of ovarian cancer in selected patients.
CA-125 often serves as a marker that cancer is in the body. Malignant growth, including ovarian cancer, produce this substance and plunged it into the bloodstream. Blood concentrations greater than 35 units per milliliter are suspicious for the presence of basic cancer. Approximately 80% of women with ovarian cancer have a level exceeding this threshold.rian Cancer. Other cancer, including those resulting from breast, lungs, pancreas and uterus, can also cause high concentrations of this substance.It is generally considered to be marker of epithelial cancer, which is the category of malignancies, which is based on cells lining different organs of the body.
Although altitudes in the CA-125 are most commonly observed in people with cancer, other conditions may also cause a high level. Patients with diseases such as endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, benign ovarian cysts, inflammatory disease of the pelvis and cirrhosis of the liver may have increased levels of this substance. Some women also have changes in the blood concentration of this molecule during their menstrual cycles.
Many scientists have tried to use the CA-125 blood test as a way to test the presence of ovarian cancer, but this practice did not detect and for the reasons. First, not all women with ovarian cancer have abnormalities in this blood test. Using a test for screening purposes could fail to identify more than 20% of women with ovarian cancer. Speciesé, the increase in the test can be caused by discerted conditions. Women who have been found to increase the test for benign reasons could be subjected to a possible diagnosis of cancer and would also have to endure the costs and inconvenience of further and more thorough testing for ovarian cancer.
The CA-125 measurement plays an important role in monitoring women who are recovering from ovarian cancer. After the treatment of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy for the removal of malignancy, patients could be in remission and show no clinical evidence of the persistent disease. Later growth of cancer cells can cause the CA-125 level to increase, indicating that cancer could be repeated.