Recently I was diagnosed with an abnormal mass in my abdomen. The doctors put me on two different meds for infection and three days later did a CA-125 test for ovarian cancer. I have all the symptoms of the cancer. Doctors want to do surgery, but don't seem to be in any hurry to remove the mass. Do you think I should be getting a second opinion?
2006-09-13 08:58:55 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Women's Health
When you are on antibiotics, does this affect the outcome of the CA-125 test results?
2006-09-13 09:01:05 · update #1
What is the CA 125 Test?
The CA 125 test is a blood test that determines the level of an antigen in the blood which is known to be a tumor marker. It is commonly used to monitor the state of the disease in ovarian cancer patients, because 80-90% of women with ovarian cancer in its later stages will have signs of the antigen in their blood.
Why isn't the test commonly used as a screening test?
Unfortunately, the test is not as sensitive or specific as would be ideal. This means that there are "false positive" and "false negative" results associated with the test, and at unacceptably high rates to be used as a general screening test (as, for example, mammograms and Pap tests are used).
2006-09-13 09:04:14 · answer #1 · answered by robert d 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋