Anyone out there having rise in CA 125 but CAT scans are stable?

[Dbslp1985]

I was diagnosed in 2015 with stage 4 PPC. I had surgery in between chemotherapy with good results was in remission for 16 months. My CA 125 started to rise so I was put on chemo again . Now I am on Topotecan CAT scan showed everything is stable but ca125 continues to rise. Ugh the plan is to keep me on the topotecan and scan in 3 months

[bamboo89]

I think this happens to a fair number of us. The thing to remember is that CT scans don't show any cancer growth that's less than 1cm in size, and that little 'spots' of cancer may be visible to the naked eye during surgery which were not apparent on the scans. Which is why, during surgery, the surgeons rummage around inside to have a good look... the scan in 3 months is presumably check if anything is now visible. But it may be that your CA125 has risen for another reason - its not an exact test for cancer, and may rise with other, more innocuous forms of inflammation, so its not a particularly reliable guide to cancer activity.

Miriam