CA-125 (Ovarian Cancer Marker) Test in Karnataka

CA-125 is a protein that can be elevated in the blood of women with ovarian cancer, and it's primarily used as a tool for monitoring known disease and treatment response rather than as a general screening test.

The protein is produced by various tissues throughout the body, not just the ovaries, which means many benign, non-cancerous conditions can also cause CA-125 levels to rise, sometimes substantially — a key limitation that shapes how this test is used clinically.

Because of this lack of specificity, major medical guidelines generally don't recommend CA-125 as a standalone screening test for ovarian cancer in women without symptoms or a known pelvic mass, since it would generate too many false alarms relative to the relatively low rate of ovarian cancer in the general population.

Where it proves most valuable is in women already diagnosed with ovarian cancer, where tracking CA-125 levels over the course of treatment helps doctors assess how well therapy is working and watch for signs of disease recurrence.