If you need to know which are the CA 125 reference ranges or you require more information about the role of CA 125 in the blood, you can visit normal CA 125 (Carcinoma Antigen) in a blood test
High concentrations of CA 125 antigen are associated with ovarian cancer and other malignant disease (pancreatic, lung, cervical, etc.)
However, it can be elevated also in benign diseases. For example, the serum CA-125 is elevated in 1% of normal healthy women, 3% of normal healthy women with benign ovarian diseases, 6% of patients with non-neoplastic conditions (endometriosis, uterine fibrosis, acute salpingitis, hepatic diseases and inflammation of the peritoneum or pericardium).
A moderate CA 125 increase may be due to malignant tumors and in some cases due to benign diseases.
You should talk with your doctor because the doctor probably has requested the test to know if you suffer from ovarian cancer.
It is also advisable to perform the CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) test. If the rate CA-125/CEA is high (over 25) there is a high probability to be a malignant ovarian cancer. If not, it is usually due to other causes.
The CA-125 antigen level is very high and a severe increase is usually a sign of ovarian cancer.
If the high level is due to an ovarian cancer the concentration of CA 125 correlates with tumor size and staging. The typical values of CA-125 in case of ovarian cancer are between 65 U/ml and 100 U/ml.
The test is used to follow patients once they have been diagnosed as having ovarian cancer. A decrease in the CA 125 concentration by a factor of 10 after the first cycle of chemotherapy is indicative of improvement. Persistent elevation of CA 125 after three cycles of chemotherapy is indicative of a poor prognosis. CA 125 correlates with disease progression or regression in 80% to 90% of cases.
There are some health circumstances than can raise the CA 125 (Carcinoma Antigen) in a blood test:
The most common diseases why the CA 125 (Carcinoma Antigen) can be higher than normal are:
CA 125 is commonly used as a tumor marker. It may be also high in some benign diseases. The best way to reduce the CA 125 level in the blood is by treating the underlying disease.
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The following values are considered to be above the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in U/ml. They are an example of a healthy woman of about 40 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
CA 125 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate CA 125 increase | |||||||
| 36 U/mL | 37 U/mL | 38 U/mL | 39 U/mL | 40 U/mL | 41 U/mL | 42 U/mL | 43 U/mL |
| 44 U/mL | 45 U/mL | 46 U/mL | 47 U/mL | 48 U/mL | 49 U/mL | 50 U/mL | 51 U/mL |
| 52 U/mL | 53 U/mL | 54 U/mL | 55 U/mL | 56 U/mL | 57 U/mL | 58 U/mL | 59 U/mL |
| 60 U/mL | 61 U/mL | 62 U/mL | 63 U/mL | 64 U/mL | 65 U/mL | ||
| Severe CA 125 increase | |||||||
| 66 U/mL | 67 U/mL | 68 U/mL | 69 U/mL | 70 U/mL | 71 U/mL | 72 U/mL | 73 U/mL |
| 74 U/mL | 75 U/mL | 76 U/mL | 77 U/mL | 78 U/mL | 79 U/mL | 80 U/mL | 81 U/mL |
| 82 U/mL | 83 U/mL | 84 U/mL | 85 U/mL | 86 U/mL | 87 U/mL | 88 U/mL | 89 U/mL |
| 90 U/mL | 91 U/mL | 92 U/mL | 93 U/mL | 94 U/mL | 95 U/mL | 96 U/mL | 97 U/mL |
| 98 U/mL | 99 U/mL | 100 U/mL | 101 U/mL | 102 U/mL | 103 U/mL | 104 U/mL | 105 U/mL |
| 106 U/mL | 107 U/mL | 108 U/mL | 109 U/mL | 110 U/mL | 111 U/mL | 112 U/mL | 113 U/mL |
| 114 U/mL | 115 U/mL | 116 U/mL | 117 U/mL | 118 U/mL | 119 U/mL | 120 U/mL | 121 U/mL |
| 122 U/mL | 123 U/mL | 124 U/mL | 125 U/mL | 126 U/mL | 127 U/mL | 128 U/mL | 129 U/mL |
| 130 U/mL | 131 U/mL | 132 U/mL | 133 U/mL | 134 U/mL | 135 U/mL | 136 U/mL | 137 U/mL |
| 138 U/mL | 139 U/mL | 140 U/mL | 141 U/mL | 142 U/mL | 143 U/mL | 144 U/mL | 145 U/mL |
| 146 U/mL | 147 U/mL | 148 U/mL | 149 U/mL | 150 U/mL | 151 U/mL | 152 U/mL | 153 U/mL |
| 154 U/mL | 155 U/mL | 156 U/mL | 157 U/mL | 158 U/mL | 159 U/mL | 160 U/mL | 161 U/mL |
| 162 U/mL | 163 U/mL | 164 U/mL | 165 U/mL | 166 U/mL | 167 U/mL | 168 U/mL | 169 U/mL |
| 170 U/mL | 171 U/mL | 172 U/mL | 173 U/mL | 174 U/mL | 175 U/mL | 176 U/mL | 177 U/mL |
| 178 U/mL | 179 U/mL | 180 U/mL | 181 U/mL | 182 U/mL | 183 U/mL | 184 U/mL | 185 U/mL |
| 186 U/mL | 187 U/mL | 188 U/mL | 189 U/mL | 190 U/mL | 191 U/mL | 192 U/mL | 193 U/mL |
| 194 U/mL | 195 U/mL | 196 U/mL | 197 U/mL | 198 U/mL | 199 U/mL | 200 U/mL | |
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