Any one else have shrinking tumours with high CA 125?

[LesleyGreengran]

Hello. I meant to leave this till letter but just thought I'd ask in case anyone else has had the same. The midway CT scan shows the tumours have reduced but CA 125 still over 500. the oncology team didn't seem too worried but, as you can imagine, I am. Especially as on previous chemo's (this is 3rd line), the CA 125 has gone down quite quickly. I'm on cisplatin and I don't know if that makes any difference. I'm having another CT scan in a couple of weeks but won't see the docs till I get back from my holidays (in Scotland, can't wait). I know some people get weird CA125 results and any info welcome . Thanks Lx

[Hidden]

Hi there, well I expect your oncologist would go by the scan and not the ca 125. This blood test is not reliable especially if it was handled in the wrong way by a lab tech or the phial stored properly before testing. In addition you can get false positives as well as false negative results for this test. For now I think follow your oncologist and the tumours are shrinking and this is what matters at the moment. Best wishes

[foss54]

Hi Lesley, Yes, I'm experiencing a similar situation. My CA125 has been up, and down (currently 211, I think), but the tumours have been shrinking, and my oncologist is content about it. Just had 6th (last for now) chemo (Carboplatin), and will have another scan in July, to see what's what. As Suzuki infers, CA125 readings are a mixed blessing, really. Mine have been of mixed use. Have a fabulous holiday. All the best, Eileen x

[trix70]

Hi Lesley,

Me too, finished weekly taxol in April, ca went down lovely to begin with, then started rising quite quickly around about the 12th. Scan half way showed stable tumours, and last scan showed 3 had shrunk and the others stable, so I am on a 3 month watch and wait. With my ca at 2707 on last check in April, I started out over 11,000

This is my second reoccurrance and fourth lot of chemo.

Enjoy your hols. X

[LesleyGreengran in reply to trix70]

Thanks. I expect (hope) I'll be on watch and wait after this last chemo, at least for a while. I have an 80th (partner's mother) birthday and a golden wedding in Ireland to go to as well x

[Lost4Words]

Hi L,

You don't say what it was to start with so 500 could be drastically reduced, it does take time for ca125 to come down but if the tumours are shrinking that's the best indication that chemo is working. And don't forget the cumulative effect of chemo it does continue to work after you've finished, my Onc always says not to get too hung up on numbers, it's what they can (or can't) see that's important.

[LesleyGreengran in reply to Lost4Words]

Thanks that's encouraging

[Barlow1951]

Hi Lesley,

I think these CA 125 readings are a very in exact science. Mine was only 70 prior to surgery despite having a tumour the size of a large melon. After my third chemo they shot up to over 300 so I had another CT scan which was clear. My oncologist reckoned the rise was due to my body reacting to the major surgery as there was no sign of any cancer and that the rest of the chemo would deal with it. When I had my post chemo scan and blood test on 18th April, CA 125 had fallen to 12, which was great news. As others on here have said what the scan shows is more important than the numbers which seem to fluctuate for all sorts of reasons, not all of them cancer related.

Hope that helps to put your mind at ease.

Best wishes,

Barbara

[LesleyGreengran]

Thank you and yes it certainly does. There's so much to worry about with this disease

[Chamber]

Hi Lesley

These ca125 counts are a pain

My oncologist seems to think if you feel well then not to worry about numbers!

So enjoy holiday

Judy x

[retro69]

Hi, and best wishes. YEs, my Mom has exactly the same thing. 4 years past ful l hysterectomy with stage 3a Ovarian cancer..She is on a 5th line drug, and her two tumor areas have shrunk considerably, yet her CA-125 has been going up and is now 1000.

She is NOT BRACA . She is at Sloan Kettering and her ongologost team was very pleased by the two improved cat scans, they assrted that they put more weight in the scan and not the ca 125.