Normal CA125 Level

[YDLSmyth]

Good morning ladies - does anyone know what the normal CA125 level is? I always though it was 35 but I see the Mayo Clinic in the US says it is 46. There is a lot of stuff on the internet saying it’s 35 but I have found a few articles saying it’s 46?

Reason for asking is mine went to 36 last week, up from 24 the previous blood test 4 weeks earlier. My bloods are done every 4 weeks as I am on Niraparib. Nurse is not concerned but I had a scan done and am waiting on results so a bit scared.

Love - Yvonne 💗

[Lyndy]

It’s 35 in UK as far as I know Yvonne.. counts do vary though, perhaps they count differently in the US? I have heard oncologists say that it’s more about the trend (rising or falling) less about the level itself, so good that you have had a scan but it may turn out to be a blip due to an infection or something similar xx

[Realistic]

Its 35 in the uk Yvonne so please try not to worry to much. Im sure our general wellbeing effects it sometimes . Your scan results will hopefully reassure you. We all worry mines been in the thousands and lm doing fine thank goodness. So try to stay positive sending love & hugs from England SheilaFxxx

[YDLSmyth in reply to Realistic]

Hi Shiela - I am in the UK also. Just clutching at straws and reading what I can (and shouldn’t ) on the internet and found the Mayo Clinic uses 46. It’s probably a different scoring system in the US and as mine is now 36 I am trying to find ways to stay below the normal! Hope you are doing ok.Love - Yvonne

[Realistic in reply to YDLSmyth]

Yvonne your right, different countries do seem to have different readings. And we all do it look up things on the internet and get duff information. And its really worrying and certainly not always correct for that individual. Hopefully your scan will be just fine, so please try not too worry. Xxx

[Riverflo]

My oncologist (in Spain) said there are two different scales which labs use. Seems like an unfortunate system but there you go. x

[SUE7777]

CA125 tends to be unique to each person 35 tends to be the number which could cause concern but not necessarily. the increase usually means there is inflammation somewhere, this can be caused by a number of things so you need to run it by your onc.. All the best Sue xx

[Supermary]

Hi Sheila I am in the US

Memorial Sloane Kettering used 35

Fluctuations are normal

Margaret

[delia2]

I’m in the US and 5-35 is normal here but I think it’s all relative to the individual. It’s more bout how much it increases over time and as you know the increase can be caused by any inflammation. So we’ll all cross our fingers that something else has caused it to increase! Xx

[Ruebacelle]

What my onc always told me was that it's the differential that they pay attention to between last and current so for eg if it doubles

[Dollie22]

Hi Yvonne, I saw your post about CA125 and the covid vaccine. I was just wondering if the increase was related to the vaccine in the end. My marker has risen. I’ve just started on parp. I had the covid vaccine 2 months ago but i don’t think the rise is due to the vaccine. I’ll have a PET scan in 2 weeks if the marker continues to rise. Very worrying as I’ll now be platinum resistant ,

D

[YDLSmyth in reply to Dollie22]

Hi Dollie - my CA125 shot up to 62 three weeks ago from 36 at the previous reading 4 weeks earlier. They did a CT scan and it showed some activity in one of the para-aortic lymph nodes, otherwise it was clear. It could be the rumblings of a recurrence or some form of infection, they think it’s a bit too early to say what it is.

I have a further blood test this Tuesday coming to see if I am well enough for another 28 days of Niraparib so am worried as to what the reading will be then and where it will lead. I feel ok and no symptoms yet to indicate a recurrence but I am preparing myself for some bad news.

Hope you are ok?

[Dollie22]

Thanks Yvonne, Hopefully the lymph node is not a recurrence but if it’s only in one lymph node that wouldn’t be so bad. They might be able to remove it pretty easily. Was it a PET / Ct scan you had?

I had a clear PET /CT scan one month ago , my CA125 has risen from 4 to 6 in a month which probably don’t seem like a lot but i recurred with a CA235 of 10 previously.. it crept up slowly . I’ll have another blood test and i’ll have a fair idea then. Its so stressful as i’ll be chemo resistant if it is back .

Kind regards,

D