Hi, 

I hope I may be able to help you out here, a ca125 blood test Is what they do sometimes to look for any early signs of cancer it's a protein that's in the blood. 

A CA 125 test measures the amount of the protein CA 125 (cancer antigen 125) in the blood.

This test may be used to monitor certain cancers during and after treatment. In some situations, the test may be used to look for early signs of ovarian cancer in people with a very high risk of the disease. Please don't think this means it's cancer as 

A CA 125 test isn't accurate enough to use for ovarian cancer screening in general because many conditions can increase the level of this protein.

Conditions that can cause an increase in CA 125include many that aren't cancerous, such as menstruation and uterine fibroids. Certain cancers may also cause an increased level of CA 125, including ovarian, endometrial, peritoneal and fallopian tube cancers.

Why it's done

Your health care provider may recommend a CA 125 test for several reasons:

To monitor cancer treatment. If you have ovarian, endometrial, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer, your provider may recommend a CA 125 test on a regular basis to monitor your condition and treatment.

But such monitoring hasn't been shown to improve the outcome for those with ovarian cancer, and it might lead to additional and unnecessary rounds of chemotherapy or other treatments.

To screen for ovarian cancer if you're at high risk. If you have a strong family history of ovarian cancer or you have an inherited gene that increases the risk of ovarian cancer, your provider may recommend a CA 125 test as one way to screen for this cancer.

Some providers may recommend CA 125testing combined with transvaginal ultrasound every 6 to 12 months for those at very high risk.

However, some people with ovarian cancer may not have an increased CA 125 level. And no evidence shows that this screening decreases the chance of dying of ovarian cancer. An elevated level of CA 125 could prompt your provider to put you through unnecessary and possibly harmful tests.

To check for cancer recurrence. Rising CA 125 levels may indicate that ovarian cancer has come back after treatment. Regular monitoring of CA 125 has not been shown to improve outcomes for those with ovarian cancer and may lead to additional and unnecessary rounds of chemotherapy or other treatments.

If your health care provider suspects that you may have ovarian cancer or another type of cancer, you may undergo additional tests. Other tests that may be helpful in evaluating these cancers include a transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound, serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), CT, and MRI. A procedure to remove a sample of cells for testing may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Hope this helps you a little bit more 

Hi thankyou for your reply,

my aunt who is 63 has been bleeding very heavily since July last year, she is post menopause and her last period was 10 years ago, she was referred originally on a 2ww to urology and subsequently had an ultrasound and cystscopy procedure but then the hospital re-referred her to gynaecology on another 2ww, she then had an ultrasound with transvaginal scan, followed by hysterscopy biopsy, smear and bloods, they found at that appointment that she had some cysts, polyp and free fluid in the pouch of Douglas, bloods were high ca125 was 246, which then generated a urgent request for the CT scan last Sunday, the polyp removal was unsuccessful as her bleeding is very bad and will have to now be rescheduled, this all has happened within the last 2-3 weeks so moved very fast, do you know how long they may come back with results from her CT ? And the free fluid in the pouch of Douglas n high bloods could these be connected?

Once again thankyou for your time 

Hello Jay1010 and thanks for posting, 

I am sorry to learn about your aunt and can understand that having tests done can create a lot of uncertainty and stress.

I am not sure exactly when your aunt will be told about the CT scan results, but as she has been seen on the 2 week wait pathway for suspected cancer,  I would have thought she should find out quite soon, by the end of next week or beforehand.

The free fluid in the pouch of Douglas and the raised Ca125 might be connected but they don't have to be - this probably depends on how much fluid there is. As you know raised CA 125 levels in the blood aren't only caused by cancer and small amounts of fluid in the pouch of Douglas can be normal, but it sounds like overall with the bleeding, polyp and possible other things we don't know about, the doctors need more detail from the CT scan to be sure what is the matter. 

I expect these CT scan results will give the doctors a better picture and hopefully you will know more soon, I am not sure that you can find out much else for the moment.  Waiting is seldom easy but try and keep an open mind for now until you know what the doctors think. 

Give us a call if you want to talk anything over,  our number is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and we are around from 9-5, weekdays. 

Best wishes,

Julia

My results from a ct colonoscopy were given in a phone call from the colorectal clinic within a couple of weeks they told me they had found complex ovarian cysts and they referred me to gynaecology oncology on the two week wait . They sent me for mri and ultrasounds, bloods. I am sorry to hear that your aunt has severe bleeding.

They need to complete the tests and bloods to give the full picture before they can tell you what they need to do, waiting for the results is awful as your aunt is in the system it should not be too long before she hears. 
you can speak to the gynaecology secretary l found them really helpful, they contacted the surgeon for me and gave me the reply, much easier than trying to get information from my doctors surgery. They do understand that you are really anxious to get your results but may be able to give you a timeframe, and where you are in the process. 
take care 

Susie  

Hi thankyou for your reply

my aunt has this morning received a telephone call from the hospital saying that they are now cancelling her rescheduled polyp removed and want her in the hospital Monday morning for a discussion, we are now very concerned and worried 

thankyou Jane 

I hope you have your results on Monday and get to know what is happening, maybe she needs further surgery that would make removal of polyps just an extra unneeded procedure to go through. A hysterectomy may be the answer and solve the bleeding l had one at 37. And was a different person afterwards. It relieved my heavy bleeding. 
l had an appointment sent to me for one week's time out of the blue l was not sure where the appointment was for, two days later they cancelled it , The following week l received another appointment for six weeks time at the breast clinic, this one l had been expecting. The communication goes haywire sometimes when the written instructions are hard to read. The appointments dept is not attached to the clinic as it used to be . 
l hope you have good news on Monday.

take care and try to relax over the weekend. 
susie
 

Thankyou it's worrying so we are putting our positive pants on atm x 

Hi not sure if anybody would know but as my auntie has to go into hospital for a discussion this coming Monday as requested by the hospital yesterday and knowing hospitals are strict with only the patient attending appointments, are they allowing patients to take another person with then into these discussion appointments? As feel that she shouldn't be going in on her own

thankyou

jane