Serum CA125 in a Woman with a Tubo-Ovarian Abscess

Pathogenesis of elevated serum CA125: peritoneal irritation

A woman with an adnexal mass and elevated serum CA-125 should not be assumed to have an ovarian carcinoma. It is important to characterize the mass with imaging studies prior to planning major surgery. It may be necessary to perform frozen sections during surgery to characterize the tubo-ovarian process.

Although an elevated serum CA125 can be explained by a tubo-ovarian abscess, tubo-ovarian abscess may occur in associated with a carcinoma of the ovary or fallopian tube.

The presence of an elevated serum CA125 in a woman with a tubo-ovarian abscess may indicate an increased risk for failure of conservative (antibiotic) therapy.