CA 125 Exam: What is it and what is it for?

Often we do not give due importance to elements that are important to our health, such as exams, for example. Keeping up with them also means making sure your body is all right, or at least being sure of what you need to do to make it healthy again.

Of course, not all exams need to be done very often, a basic check-up is usually necessary. But when your body gives a signal that something strange is going on, a doctor is sure to know what the best method is to find out if there is something wrong or not.

This is the case with the CA 125 exam . But do you know what it is and what is it for? If not, don’t worry. This is exactly what we will talk about in this article.

What is the Ca 125 Exam?

The CA 125 exam is one of the most important exams for women today. It can indicate certain diseases such as endometriosis or ovarian cancer, in addition to serving to monitor the development and treatment of various diseases.

This type of examination can also be done on men, as it also reports some ills such as cirrhosis , hepatitis , pancreatitis, among others.

Another confusion common to the exam is that it only reports cancer cases, since it is called a tumor marker . The truth is that it is widely used to check for possible tumors in the ovaries because it is the most accurate type of examination for this type of disease, but, as we have said here, it can also cause several other diseases.

Who is the CA 125 Exam for?

Most of the time, the test is indicated for women with suspected ovarian cancer, as well as those who are being treated or those who have already been cured of this disease, to monitor whether there is any remnant or sign of a tumor back.

A doctor may also request that this test be done to monitor a variety of other illnesses, both in men and women, although it is much more commonly done in women.

What are the Contraindications?

There is no contraindication for this test, not least because it is a very common blood test. However, your doctor will tell you if you should or should not do it , as there are some specific cases in which it is necessary to wait a while for it to be done or that it cannot be done. All of this will depend on the patient’s condition and will be evaluated by the responsible physician.

How is Exam 125 done?

The CA 125 exam is quite common and does not deviate much from the blood test standards that we usually do. The patient is placed in a chair and an elastic band is placed around his arm so that the blood flow is stopped and the veins become wider and, consequently, easier to be found by the needle.

After that, the nurse cleans the arm and inserts the needle. After the blood is collected in a tube, the nurse removes the needle from the patient and puts a bandage on the spot where the needle was. From that point, the blood goes for analysis in the laboratory.

What can the CA 125 exam indicate?

The test is used to measure the level of the CA 125 antigen in a person’s blood. When it is too high or too low, something may be wrong with the person being examined. Some of the main diseases that the CA 125 exam can identify are:

  • Ovary cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Colon Cancer
  • Ovarian cyst
  • Endometriosis
  • Pancreatitis
  • Cirrhosis
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Uterine myoma
  • Fibrosis
  • Lupus

As you can see, there are several diseases that an examination of this type can cause, especially in the body of women. The use of certain medications, contact with radioactive material or surgeries can alter the results of the test.

Are There Risks?

As this is a very common and usual procedure, the risks of the CA 125 exam are practically zero. Of course, there may be a hematoma at the location of the needle stick and the person may even experience some discomfort due to the blood withdrawal.

But they are small and easily treatable things, especially in a hospital setting. And even these small incidents are very difficult to happen, which makes the CA 125 exam extremely safe.

The manifestations of disease in our bodies do not always follow a logical pattern. This means that there is little care, especially when you are in a group at risk for a certain disease.

Fortunately, advances in technology and medicine have helped us a lot in this matter in recent years, making it easier to identify many diseases in their initial stages and making the fight simpler.

The CA 125 exam is a great example of this type of advancement, as it indicates several diseases in women that in the past were much more difficult to detect. So it is important to always keep your exams up to date.

In case of any suspicion, seek medical attention as soon as possible to check that there is nothing wrong with your body. This helps prevent disease and keeps your health up to date.

See also: Examination of the Glycemic Curve – What is the Importance?

Dr. Alexis Hart
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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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