CA-125 ELISA

CA125 is a tumour marker, it is a glycoprotein as high
molecular weight entity (MW 200,000).
It is best known as a marker for ovarian cancer, but it
may also be elevated in other malignant cancers,
including those originating in the endometrium,
fallopian tubes, lungs, breast and gastrointestinal
tract. CA125 may also be elevated in a number of
relatively benign conditions, such as endometriosis,
several diseases of the ovary, and pregnancy. It also
tends to be elevated in the presence of any
inflammatory condition in the abdominal area, both
cancerous and benign. Thus, CA125 is not perfectly
specific for cancer nor is it perfectly sensitive since
not every patient with cancer will have elevated levels
of CA125 in the blood.
CA125 is clinically approved for following the
response to treatment and predicting prognosis after
treatment. It is especially useful for detecting the
recurrence of ovarian cancer. Its potential role for the
early detection of ovarian cancer is controversial and
has not yet been adopted for widespread screening
efforts in asymptomatic women.
Elevated levels in post-menopausal women are
usually an indication that further screening is
necessary. In pre-menopausal women, the test is less
reliable as values are often elevated due to a number
of non-cancerous causes.