What to make of CA 125 in normal range for new diagnosis?

mjg32
mjg32 Member Posts: 1 *
in Ovarian Cancer #1

My wife has been diagnosed with 'probable' ovarian cancer with surgery scheduled two weeks out. The surgeon just ordered a CA 125 test which came back at 33 which seems to be in the normal range. What to make of this?

Comments

  • thatblondegirl
    thatblondegirl Member Posts: 386 Member
    #2

    Dear mjg32,

    You can enter CA125 in the search bar on the various GYN related boards and find many threads discussing that test. It is your best option for finding some real information, but I’ll warn you…it won’t really answer your question. Just my opinion, but it’s not a good indicator for everyone….and the only way to even hope to know if it is or not, is an individual’s history with it…which takes time. For me, it’s not a good indicator at all! It was 20 when I had undiagnosed Stage II Fallopian tube cancer along with 4 little other tumors scattered throughout my pelvis, and 66 after all had been removed! (Inflammation anywhere in the body can cause it to rise.) During treatment it was between 20-33. After treatment finally fell into the teens. Gone up and down since, but with no recurrences, so I finally said, “I’m not subjecting myself to that worthless thing anymore! It doesn’t tell us anything!”

    I wish your wife the best! Try not to get too far ahead of yourself with worry. Surgery, diagnosis, and treatment is a long process and almost no one but you will seem to be in any kind of hurry. It can be ridiculously frustrating. You CAN have a great outcome! I’m 3+ years out with no recurrence!

    A

  • BadassMom
    BadassMom Member Posts: 10 Member
    #3

    hello. It is confusing. Mine was only 42 when I had my hysterectomy. This number can fluctuate based on whether or not she is menopausal. She should have scans which her MD will order. You need a doc you can trust. Don’t second guess them. Google is there for information. Ask why she is being considered for a hysterectomy. Best of luck to you and your wife. She is lucky to have your support!

  • MJS19
    MJS19 Member Posts: 46 Member
    #4
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/328158/what-to-make-of-ca-125-in-normal-range-for-new-diagnosis

    As others have said, it is often impossible to know what a CA-125 level means for an individual until there are enough tests over time to know what is "normal" for her. Mine was 25 when I was diagnosed with a kind of unterine cance that is more like ovarian cancer than uterine. The normal ramge for that "brand" test was 30 or under. For that reason, my gyn/oncologist thought that CA-125 was not going to be a meaningful marker for me, since it was 25 before surgery. However, after I completed chemo, it was 7 and stayed at 6.5 to 7.5 for about two years until I recurred, so it turned out to be a good marker for me. A rise in CA-125, even though it was still within the normal range, signaled both of my recurrences.

    It must be so hard for you and your wife to have a CA-125 number that doesn't tell you what you need to know. I hope it is not cancer. If it is. her doctors will tell you that there are many good drugs on the horizon, some of which are already being used based on clinical trials.

    Good luck.

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