Ca-125 Goes Up And Down???

Hi! My mom was diagnosed last October 2007 of Ovarian Cancer Stage IV with CA-125 level 2,200 and we started chemo last November 2007.  After her 2nd chemo it was down to 1,400 but after the 3rd chemo her CA-125  went up to 1,996.00.  I mean is it normal that it goes up and down?

 She gets depress whenever she thinks about it.

Please help. 

On 1/21/2008 pie2008 wrote:

Hi! My mom was diagnosed last October 2007 of Ovarian Cancer Stage IV with CA-125 level 2,200 and we started chemo last November 2007.  After her 2nd chemo it was down to 1,400 but after the 3rd chemo her CA-125  went up to 1,996.00.  I mean is it normal that it goes up and down?

 She gets depress whenever she thinks about it.

Please help. 

Hi,

I am a RN -my mohter in law was recently diagnosied with stage III C ovarian CA as well.  What they are looking for with the CA 125 test is the amount of cancer in the body.  I will tell you if you are interested it is important to not only do the convential with your mother but the homeopathic apporach as well.  You need to do the research on line - or you can get hooked up with at Naturapathic Dr.  you need to find one that is not finiacal about doing it there way or no way.  I started my mother in law off on homeopathic medicine and hollistic medicine to boost the immune system and her first blood work was better then the Dt. could imagine.  This web site is hosted by CTCA- they are a really good group who believe in the whole person- Mind, body and soul.  That is so important.  It is also important for you mom to have a positive attitude.

I do not know if you are a religous person or not, but faith is what gets us through as well.  I my self was diagnosied last yr with Breast Cancer- but thankfully I did not have to undergo chemo as they caught it quickly- I am in the process of going through reconstruction surgeries.  I do hollistic and convential apporach to my treatment as well as my mother in laws.

I will keep you both in my prayers- I know this is a trying time- but God will give you all the strength to go through all of this- you just have to ask.

Please feel free to contact me at my home email

 to talk more privately- if there is anything I can do to help you or stear you in a direction I will certainly try.  Hang in there and keep the faith.  Although this cancer is only treatable not cureable people can live a long time with it.

On 1/21/2008 pie2008 wrote:

Hi! My mom was diagnosed last October 2007 of Ovarian Cancer Stage IV with CA-125 level 2,200 and we started chemo last November 2007.  After her 2nd chemo it was down to 1,400 but after the 3rd chemo her CA-125  went up to 1,996.00.  I mean is it normal that it goes up and down?

 She gets depress whenever she thinks about it.

Please help. 

HI -

I am stage 4  dx'd in 2004. My CA125 was only 780 when dx'd and I was stage 4. After 1st chemo went down to 4. Even through relapse and progression CA125 never went over 9. It is not always a reliable test so tell your Mom not to be depressed about it. Mine goes up and down although it only goes between 4 and 9 and does not always go up with  progression.  A good attitude goes a long way. Tell her to try to keep her spirits up. I'm going on 4 years with this and still feel good.

Diane T.

Hi Diane

Thank you so much for replying on my message. 

May I know what chemo med did they use?  Is it Taxol/Carboplatin?

Yes, I always tell her to think positive and not the negative sides. 

Take care and God bless. =) 

On 1/23/2008 pie2008 wrote:

Hi Diane

Thank you so much for replying on my message. 

May I know what chemo med did they use?  Is it Taxol/Carboplatin?

Yes, I always tell her to think positive and not the negative sides. 

Take care and God bless. =) 

Hi, my name is Krista and was diagnosed Sept, 06 with stage 4 ovarian cancer and had taxol and carboplatin for my first cycle of chemo. I became stable after 6 treatments and was off chemo for 6 months. I had a reoccurance and have had 5 Doxil treatments since. My CA125 started at diagnoses at 4300 and at the end of first cycle went to 43. After being stable for 6 months CA125 went back up to 946 thus had to start chemo again and after 5 treatments is about 100. My oncologist looks at CA125 along with CTscans and determines what is going on from there. A lthough the CA125 is not a definitive test it is a good marker to watch and follow along with CTscans, etc. I hope this is helpful and hope that all ends up well for you. Take care!

I, too, was diagnosed in Jan 07 of stage 3C OC.  My CA125 was around 1450 and after surgery, it dropped to 400 and finally got down to a low of 106.  I am now at 285.3 and am in a study using Avastin for treatment.  My CT scan is great, and my Dr says not to focus on that number, that I'm doing really good; however, when they are talking about our lives, it is not all that easy not to worry.  I am going to start a vegetarian style of eating for a while and see what that does.  I am checking my PH now to see if I am acidic or not, and have just started taking 10 in 1 vitamins, and oxygen drops.  I now, after a year, feel I must start taking responsibility to get better, and not just rely on chemo and such.  I do understand about the disconcernment of the CA125 going up and down, but if your CT scans and such are good, then it must be other things making it fluctuate.

Hey Krista.

 Thanks for the info.  I hope you get well soon.

 Our oncologist told us that she wants my mom's CA125 to be 0 before we do the CT scan, then later on, when we had this test and it went up, we were so worried and ask the doc about it and she told us that she don't treat numbers which got us all confused because at first she told us that she wants the CA125 to be 0 before we have the CT SCAN and now she told us that she don't treat numbers.  

I am just really confuse. 

hey sherco22

My mother started drinking what we call the GRASS JUICE (oisturuzed celery, green bell pepper, ampalaya vegetable, green apple, carrot, sugar beets) I told her to drink twice-thrice a day. We also let her drink ESTER-C and CELL FOOD (oxygen drops for the cells).   

 We are just confuse because my mom already shown improvements like she doesn't have any hard time on her bowel, eager to urine every second, doesn't feel bloated and slowly gaining weight, but still her CA125 went up.  The doc said there are many reasons, one of them is maybe the chemo med destabilized.  

Do you have a clue what are the other reasons that makes ca125 fluctuate?

I hope you get better soon.

God bless. 

Thank you for your kind words. I just don't know what causes the CA125 to fluctuate, but my Dr. says to not put too much emphasis on it.  He says that there can be little cells swimming around that can cause an elevated CA125, and that you have to look at the whole picture and and how you feel and all that.  So now I am going to look at my diet, cutting out sugar and white flour, and probably all dairy.  I bought some vegetarian books with excellent recipes and I'm going to try my hand at that. 

See, just the difference in your mom already shows that there is a lot more to it than just chemo.

I hope all goes well for you.

On 1/25/2008 pie2008 wrote:

Hey Krista.

 Thanks for the info.  I hope you get well soon.

 Our oncologist told us that she wants my mom's CA125 to be 0 before we do the CT scan, then later on, when we had this test and it went up, we were so worried and ask the doc about it and she told us that she don't treat numbers which got us all confused because at first she told us that she wants the CA125 to be 0 before we have the CT SCAN and now she told us that she don't treat numbers.  

I am just A125 and they don't have cancer. Her doctor could probably try a little harder to explain to the family how those tests all work. Remember, you have to research and find a doctor that you feel comforta

I know it's really confusing but I'm sure her doctor has a plan and just has a hard time explaining what it all means. The CA125 is never used alone to determine treatment. Some people have an elevated CA125 and don't have cancer so that's why they do the other tests along with that. If you or she is uncomfortable with how or why the doctor is treating her then I would definitly get other opinions. I sometimes have to remind myself that they are just doctors and not The best advice I could give someone is to find a doctor that is willing to take the time to answer all the questions that they have in a way that is understandable to them. Cancer is horrible enough to go through without the added problem of feeling unsure about what is happening. I too sometimes don't get the answers I need and have to constantly revaluate the situation and decide if what is happening is right for me. Don't ever be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to feel at ease. Good luck and write again if this wasn't helpful. God Bless...        

Krista