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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA CA 125 test measures the amount of the protein CA 125 (cancer antigen 125) in your blood.
In some cases, certain types of cancer cells may release CA 125 into the bloodstream. Because of this, a CA 125 test may be used to monitor and guide treatment of ovarian, endometrial and fallopian tube cancers. Your doctor also may recommend a CA 125 test if you've been identified as being at high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
A CA 125 test isn't accurate enough to use for cancer screening in all women, especially premenopausal women, because many other conditions can cause your level of CA 125 to rise. These include endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and cirrhosis, as well as pregnancy and normal menstruation.
- CA-125. Lab Tests Online. http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ca125/. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Tumor markers: Questions and answers. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/tumor-markers. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Carlson KJ. Screening for ovarian cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb 23, 2009.
- Memarzadeh S, et al. Cancer of the fallopian tube. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb 23, 2009.
- How is endometrial cancer diagnosed? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_endometrial_cancer_diagnosed.asp?rnav=cri. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Ovarian cancer: Why screening isn't routine. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/SPC/content/SPC_1_ovarian_Q_A_Saslow.asp. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Laboratory reference values. CA125. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; March 2009.
