"The tumour stains positive with ...CA125" Does anyone know what this means?

[SaraL]

I have asked my GP for a copy of the pathology for my first operation, when the hospital found that my left ovary 'had some malignancy'. Part of the report reads: "The tumour stains positive with CK7, EMA, BerEP4, CA125 and p53 (focal, weak). The tumour does not stain with CK20, WT-1, AFP, ER or PF."

Does anyone know if staining positive means that the cancer is picked up with CA125 (etc)? My oncologist told me that the form of clear cell cancer I have been treated for is not picked up with CA125 and what I think I understand from the above, it seems that it is. Any enlightenment, anyone?

[MargaretJ]

CA125 is (I think) a protein secreted by the tumour and picked up in the blood tests. Not all ovarian cancers secrete it and there is a "normal" level which is under 30. My levels have varied from 11,000 to 6 and back up. The last reading was about 200. There is some info about staining tumour cells on a website I found when I googled ovarian cancer.