CA-125

undertreatment2012
undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
in Ovarian Cancer #1
my dr mentioned we need to find my "normal". I thought normal was 0-35. before surgery is was 45 then 46 and stayed there. after surgery it jumped to 254. before first chemo it was 236. Not much of a drop but still high. So when do they determine my normal?? when do they decide if chemo is working??

Comments

  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #2
    Good Questions
    My experience was different from yours, so unfortunately I don't have any direct answers but perhaps other ladies on this board will have answers. My CA-125 was over 2,800 after my diagnosis and before my surgery. After surgery and before any chemo, my CA-125 dropped to 7 and stayed below 7 during all of my chemo treatments. I think you said in another thread that you just finished your first chemo. Do you know what your CA-125 is now? The fact that it dropped before your first chemo sounds good.

    Take care,
    Kelly
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #3
    lovesanimals said:

    Good Questions
    My experience was different from yours, so unfortunately I don't have any direct answers but perhaps other ladies on this board will have answers. My CA-125 was over 2,800 after my diagnosis and before my surgery. After surgery and before any chemo, my CA-125 dropped to 7 and stayed below 7 during all of my chemo treatments. I think you said in another thread that you just finished your first chemo. Do you know what your CA-125 is now? The fact that it dropped before your first chemo sounds good.

    Take care,
    Kelly

    ca-125
    it is 238, was 254
  • Gottalovelife
    Gottalovelife Member Posts: 45
    #4
    Thinking it mite be after third
    After third treatment is when they told me chemo was working and they made changes that needed to be made then. As when they find the normal numbers I don't know, I finished chemo Oct. 2011 and my number was 25 then it went up to 30's then to 57 now it's back down to 30 so I don't know, I know it's darn scary having to rely on those numbers. So Good Luck and hoping your numbers keep coming down.

    Hugs and Prayers
    Cindy
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #5
    Gottalovelife said:

    Thinking it mite be after third
    After third treatment is when they told me chemo was working and they made changes that needed to be made then. As when they find the normal numbers I don't know, I finished chemo Oct. 2011 and my number was 25 then it went up to 30's then to 57 now it's back down to 30 so I don't know, I know it's darn scary having to rely on those numbers. So Good Luck and hoping your numbers keep coming down.

    Hugs and Prayers
    Cindy

    Sending you good thoughts
    and praying that your numbers continue to come down.

    Take care,
    Kelly
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #6
    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over
    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over 1400 at diagnosis and after my first three rounds my numbers began to drop very significantly (which was so encouraging).

    Nevertheless; after 5 years of living with stage iv ovarian cancer "normal" has now become a relative term for me, plus there is the argument of there being too many false/positive readings.

    My oncologist doesn't look at the numbers so much as how fast the numbers rise (example : like she uses for me a one - to- two point jump each month; and gauges that result as a normal rise for my stage of cancer. However if my numbers began to rise i.e. 4x say 12, then she begins to wonder why it rose so fast and then a scan is usually ordered just to make sure there is no agressive activity. So far her technique has been right on the money, which is why I believe I'm still here today.

    Sharon
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #7
    msfanciful said:

    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over
    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over 1400 at diagnosis and after my first three rounds my numbers began to drop very significantly (which was so encouraging).

    Nevertheless; after 5 years of living with stage iv ovarian cancer "normal" has now become a relative term for me, plus there is the argument of there being too many false/positive readings.

    My oncologist doesn't look at the numbers so much as how fast the numbers rise (example : like she uses for me a one - to- two point jump each month; and gauges that result as a normal rise for my stage of cancer. However if my numbers began to rise i.e. 4x say 12, then she begins to wonder why it rose so fast and then a scan is usually ordered just to make sure there is no agressive activity. So far her technique has been right on the money, which is why I believe I'm still here today.

    Sharon

    ca-125
    thanks msfanciful!! I will try to hang in there. But I have been SO sick from treatment, as I am sure you know what I mean. Keep fighting, and by the way YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!! Picture is gorgeous.
  • karen1951
    karen1951 Member Posts: 103
    #8
    msfanciful said:

    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over
    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over 1400 at diagnosis and after my first three rounds my numbers began to drop very significantly (which was so encouraging).

    Nevertheless; after 5 years of living with stage iv ovarian cancer "normal" has now become a relative term for me, plus there is the argument of there being too many false/positive readings.

    My oncologist doesn't look at the numbers so much as how fast the numbers rise (example : like she uses for me a one - to- two point jump each month; and gauges that result as a normal rise for my stage of cancer. However if my numbers began to rise i.e. 4x say 12, then she begins to wonder why it rose so fast and then a scan is usually ordered just to make sure there is no agressive activity. So far her technique has been right on the money, which is why I believe I'm still here today.

    Sharon

    sharon....you are my new
    sharon....you are my new inspiration....to be here five years after a stage IV diagnosis is wonderful....i read this board often and have seen your posts but they were all older posts....i always wonder what has happened to the girls who haven't posted regularly...it's great to see your beautiful face....glad you are doing so well....stay that way!!! karen
  • 7 angels
    7 angels Member Posts: 20
    #9
    msfanciful said:

    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over
    Hi there,
    My ca-125 was over 1400 at diagnosis and after my first three rounds my numbers began to drop very significantly (which was so encouraging).

    Nevertheless; after 5 years of living with stage iv ovarian cancer "normal" has now become a relative term for me, plus there is the argument of there being too many false/positive readings.

    My oncologist doesn't look at the numbers so much as how fast the numbers rise (example : like she uses for me a one - to- two point jump each month; and gauges that result as a normal rise for my stage of cancer. However if my numbers began to rise i.e. 4x say 12, then she begins to wonder why it rose so fast and then a scan is usually ordered just to make sure there is no agressive activity. So far her technique has been right on the money, which is why I believe I'm still here today.

    Sharon

    Hello Msfanciful,
    Im a stage 4 also it wonderful to hear you been fighting for 5 years THERE IS HOPE!! for us all. doing chemo now and my ca125 number went down from 92 to 60 and thats with just the first treatment. I believe that with FAITH HOPE AND LOVE we can whip this. Been fighting for almost 2 yrs. Sherry
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #10
    Dear UndertreatmentI am not
    Dear Undertreatment

    I am not sure what your doctor is talking about. I have a feeling that the doctor was not overly concerned to see your CA-125 go up after surgery because the inflammation of the healing response will influence the CA-125 level causing a higher number.

    I don't know if you have ever had a PET/CT scan. One of the questions the technician asks prior to doing the scan is "have you had surgery recently?"

    The scan will light up where there is cancer OR inflammation. Maybe you already know all of this so forgive me for telling you something you already know.
  • undertreatment2012
    undertreatment2012 Member Posts: 126
    #11
    carolenk said:

    Dear UndertreatmentI am not
    Dear Undertreatment

    I am not sure what your doctor is talking about. I have a feeling that the doctor was not overly concerned to see your CA-125 go up after surgery because the inflammation of the healing response will influence the CA-125 level causing a higher number.

    I don't know if you have ever had a PET/CT scan. One of the questions the technician asks prior to doing the scan is "have you had surgery recently?"

    The scan will light up where there is cancer OR inflammation. Maybe you already know all of this so forgive me for telling you something you already know.

    ca-125
    no, dont apologize, tell me everything you know, I thirst for knowledge in all of this and others experiences. They did tell me not to worry about it after surgery, kinda wish it would have went down a little more by treatment time, but we shall see come mid april i guess. I did have a CT, but I did not know where they messed around could show up abnormal on there. Because there were some abnormal areas that they again, did not seem concerned with. Thank you!
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #12
    CA125
    I did not have this drawn. They did a OVA1 on me which looks at 4 protein biomarkers and CA125. So I don't know my CA125. I will have to ask my oncologist when I see her Thursday. Maybe they drew one in the hospital.
    Just reading posts on CA125 it seems as everyone has a range of scores and some are quite high.
    Has anyone had any experience with the OVA1 test?

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