II. Indications
- Postmenopausal pelvic mass evaluation
- Ovarian Cancer serial monitoring
- Not a Screening Test for cancer (insensitive)
- May obtain baseline if Ovarian Cancer high risk
III. Interpretation (CA 125 level in units/ml)
- Normal: CA-125 less than 35 (Does not exclude cancer)
- Increased
- CA-125 >35 highly correlated with cancer (epithelial Ovarian Cancer cell line)
- Used as oncology referral indication for post-menopausal women
- CA-125 >65 associated with cancer in 90% of pelvic masses
- CA-125 >200 unlikely to be due to benign condition
- Used as oncology referral indication for pre-menopausal women
- CA-125 >35 highly correlated with cancer (epithelial Ovarian Cancer cell line)
IV. Efficacy (ranges are approximate with high values more attributed to post-menopausal patients)
V. Causes: Increased
- Benign Gynecologic Causes
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Uterine Fibroids
- Pregnancy
- Menstruation
- Functional Ovarian Cyst
- Prior Hysterectomy
- Post-Menopause
- Benign Non-Gynecologic Causes
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Lung disease
- Myocardial Infarction
- Obesity
- Pelvic Irradiation
- Pancreatitis
- Recent surgery
- Tuberculous Peritonitis
- Malignant Causes