CA125 cancer blood test

[Newshoos]

Hi! As part of ongoing issues (not cancerous) I had a blood test for basically everything and my CA125 level came up as 19. I k on this is within the normal range but it still seems very high to me. The average is 11. Doctor not interested as it’s within the normal range and seemed a bit baffled when k asked him why it could be this high. I mean something is making it 19 rather than 11 or under? Any doctors here or anyone with any insights who has had this test? I don’t have any of the benign conditions the bus lists which could also raise the levels other than cancer.

Also I should add levels are higher if you’re post ovulation and can be above range if you’re menstruating. Endometriosis shows higher levels, and so on.

Maybe a good way to frame this is to think about other things that have a normal range -e.g. height, how many balls you can catch in a minute

There are extremes, and being at an extreme may be indicative of a problem. Most people will be within the normal range. If you are within the normal range, one measurement within that range doesn’t make you more normal than another.

Being extremely short or extremely tall can be associated with health issues in the right clinical context. But there are also very tall and short people who just happen to be their height.

You could even think about a big tube of smarties. Having nearly no red smarties, or nearly all red smarties would be unexpected. It might be an issue with one of the machines in the factory (or indeed it might just be a random blip). But you wouldn’t worry if one pack had 10 red smarties and another had 15 - that could just be due to chance.

I hope that makes sense and helps give you some reassurance.

I would also say that, with regards to the Ca-125, really please do not worry. You are well within the normal range. 5 does not make you more normal than 19 where the upper limit of normal is 35.

Even had it been just above the ULN, as a lot of people have said above, moderately raised levels are often seen in the absence of cancer. All investigations are just an additional piece of data that help put together the picture, and should be interpreted in the context of the clinical picture (and if necessary, other information).

I have health anxiety so I do know what it's like actually, but you're just refusing to understand what normal ranges are.

Having a CA125 measurement of 19 doesn't increase your risk of cancer. It is NORMAL to have a level up to 30-35, and yours is well below that. Being extremely tall or short also can be a cause/sign of many health problems, the key being when people are outside the normal range, not very tall or short but still normal.

You'll just keep ignoring the facts so keep worrying about it, I guess.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply I do appreciate it. Just wish I hadn’t been bloody tested in the first place haha. Definitely need to manage my health anxiety I know that.

You need to focus on dealing with your anxiety and stop wasting your life fixating on a NORMAL number.

i can’t imagine you will though. But you’ll probably ask your gp many more times to repeat the test or why ‘it’s high’ it’s not high - but that answer appears to frustrate you.

I won’t be repeating the test believe me!

I've had raised levels for this a few times, been rushed down the 2 week pathway, and then been signed off as absolutely fine. After a few times they made a note on my records that my normal is higher than average so we didn't have to keep doing that. We're all different!

In my experience, if you're not straight on the 2 week pathway they are not remotely worried that you have cancer from this blood test.

Thank youbWe’re your raised by much ? Thy must have been a scary time but I’m glad you are ok!

No, just above normal! I think 50ish

To say they’re elevated is misleading in your case.

Yes I apologise for that but I meant elevated in that the usual range is around 11

Will you actually pay attention? 11 is the AVERAGE. The normal range is 0 to 35. Stop with the needless drama.
You have a perfectly normal result, which is in no way elevated.

Ok, thank you for your your message. I have never once said my number wasn’t in the normal range, I know it is I just wondered why it was towards the higher rather than the lower end. I don’t think I would be the first or the last person to wonder about this or have concerns as to why.

Average is really a red herring. It’s the average of multiple tests of lots of people. It is possible that not a single one will have a level of 11. As long as your level is under 35 then you are boringly normal.
Statistically the median is a better way of looking at it. The median is around 17.5 for “healthy” result half way between 0 and 35 so your result is under the median if that helps your health anxiety.
CA125 covers a very narrow group of diseases and is not diagnostic.

You have repeatedly said it's elevated. It isn't. You keep asking why it would be elevated, it's not.
Now you're saying it's in the higher range of normal...it isn't.

You have an absolutely completely normal blood test result and sound like one of those people desperate for attention for your imagined health issues.

This! And before OP blames it all on health anxiety and accuses us of not understanding, I have awful health anxiety too (reason I commented on this thread as I would have wanted the reassurance too)

You would be interested if it was in the hundreds perhaps. Other conditions like endometriosis can also raise it.

I have had a scan but nothing was found like endometriosis. Thank you for your reply x

Don't Google you'll think you're going to die. Relax if your doctor was worried they will do something not ignore it

thank you! Yes staying away from google 😊

But there's nothing to Google other than "normal ca125 test".

If you'd googled in the first place you'd know you have an absolutely completely normal rest result. But you seem determined to hang on to the the notion that you don't.....

It's not a cancer test. Yours is well below the level considered abnormal.
It's really only indicative of cancer if it's in the high 100s.
Mine has been around 60 for a couple of years. All scans and tests normal.
The gynaecologist told me that it's only useful to monitor recovering ovarian cancer patients because so many things trigger it. Anything off below the waist can raise the ca125. UTI, constipation, diarrhoea etc.

You are making a fuss about a normal blood test result.

Mine was 53. All other checks fine. It was done around the time of my period. They put it down to that.

Thank you and I’m glad you are fine. Mine was done on a Thursday and I got my period on the Monday no idea if that makes a difference.