CA-125 Test

The CA-125 test is a specialized blood investigation used to determine the level of CA-125 (Cancer Antigen-125) circulating in the body. CA-125 is a mucin-like glycoprotein found on the surface of non-mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer cells, and its presence in the bloodstream often increases when ovarian tumors are present. Because of this strong association, CA-125 serves as an important tumor marker for the diagnosis, evaluation, and follow-up of ovarian cancer.

The test is widely used to monitor disease progression in women undergoing treatment and to assess the effectiveness of therapies such as chemotherapy or surgery. Elevated levels may signal active disease, recurrence, or lack of therapeutic response. While CA-125 is most strongly linked with ovarian cancer, higher levels may also occur in some non-cancerous conditions where inflammation is present in the pelvic or abdominal cavity.

CA-125 may be produced by inflamed cells lining body tissues and released into fluids such as blood or ascites. Since this substance sheds into body fluids, it becomes detectable in serum samples, making it a valuable and minimally invasive diagnostic and monitoring tool. When interpreted along with clinical findings and imaging studies, the CA-125 test plays a major role in early detection, treatment planning, and surveillance of ovarian cancer.

Measures CA-125 tumor marker levels in blood to assess presence, progression, and monitoring of ovarian malignancy.