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Differential Diagnosis of an Elevated Serum CA125 Concentration

Description

The serum CA125 concentration can be elevated for many reasons. Because of its nonspecificity the test is not recommended for screening. Its use should be limited and the results interpreted only in context.


Differential diagnosis of an elevated serum CA125 may include:

(1) malignant ovarian tumor

(2) benign ovarian disease

(3) non-ovarian gynecologic malignancy

(4) non-ovarian benign gynecologic disease (including pregnancy, menstruation, endometriosis and leiomyoma)

(5) hepatobiliary disease including hepatocellular carcinoma

(6) pancreatic cancer

(7) peritoneal or pleural inflammation

(8) colon cancer

(9) tuberculosis

(10) lung cancer

(11) SLE

(12) heart failure

(13) malignant lymphoma

(14) idiopathic

 

In the series of Moss et al, only half of elevated serum CA125 concentrations were due to malignancy, and half of these were ovarian.


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