CA-125

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However, when used in a group of healthy women, an elevated CA-125 usually does NOT mean ovarian cancer is present. The vast majority of healthy women with an elevated CA-125 do not have ovarian cancer (or any other cancer for that matter). The "false positive" rate for this group of women is high.

In fact, only about 3 out of 100 healthy women with elevated CA-125 actually have ovarian cancer. Any woman with an abnormal CA-125 test will need further tests, and sometimes invasive surgical procedures, to confirm the result. These additional tests all involve risks and anxiety. On the rare occasion when cancer is found, it is usually not even at the earliest stage. Finally, about 20% of women with ovarian cancer never have an elevated CA-125 level. So a woman who does in fact have ovarian cancer can have a negative result -- a false negative.

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Therefore, the CA-125 should not be considered an effective general screening test for ovarian cancer. Studies are underway to determine whether it might be effective when combined with other blood tests or radiologic studies.

Review Date: 12/01/2005
Reviewed By: Sharon Roseanne Thompson, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.